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The robin is native to the UK and is actually here all year round, but fittingly, its numbers are boosted over the Christmas period by more robins arriving to escape the harsh European winters. We also tend to notice it more in winter, when its distinctive red breast shows up more against snowy and icy landscapes.
Robins appear everywhere over Christmas, with their chirpy and bright image being used on cards, decorations and even on jumpers! The colour red is also widely associated with Christmas - not only for Santa's garb but also as a traditional festive theme for decorations when mixed with green. So, how did the legend of the Christmas robin begin?
Jesus's birth
When Jesus was lying in his manger in the stable, legend has it that a log fire was lit to keep the draughty room warm. A brown-breasted robin, perched inside the stable, thought the fire was blazing too brightly and that it might burn the new baby.
It was said that the robin bravely placed himself between Jesus's face and the fire to protect the infant. In doing so, the bird's chest was scorched and went red. The bright red colouring became a mark of the robin for all time in recognition of the bravery it showed when protecting Jesus.
Christian associations
Another legend is that a robin pulled a thorn from Christ's head when he was on the cross, wearing a crown of thorns. It was said to be Christ's blood that stained the robin's breast red.
It was also said that St Serf of Kinross, who lived in Scotland in the sixth century, was befriended by a robin. Every time he prayed, the bird would sit on his shoulder. However, one of his disciples, who was jealous of St Serf, killed the bird.
One of Serf's followers, his foster-son, Kentigern, prayed over the robin and brought it back to life. Kentigern became St Mungo and went on to found Glasgow Cathedral.
Robins on cards
Other theories about why the robin is associated with Christmas relate to the postmen of Victorian England! The first Christmas cards were sent in 1843 after Sir Henry Cole, director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, thought up the idea of seasonal greetings cards.
His friend John Calcott Horsley, a British painter of the Royal Academy, came up with the first design. It depicted a family, including children, toasting Christmas with a glass of red wine. Religious leaders criticised the card because it didn't have an image of Christ and showed children drinking alcohol.
However, the idea began to catch on with the public and it was reported that 1,000 cards, costing one shilling each, went on sale at Felix Summerly's Treasure House in Bond Street, London, selling out almost right away. They were printed using lithographic printing by Jobbins, of Warwick Court, Holborn.
The tradition of Christmas cards had begun in Britain, but at the time, the pictures on the front included religious scenes, festive wreaths, snow scenes and the star of Bethlehem, without a robin in sight.
Postal service
The first robins appeared on Christmas cards in the 1880s, as a result of the bright red uniforms worn by Royal Mail postmen. In Victorian times, red was a regal colour linked to royalty and the British flag, so it was fitting that employees of Royal Mail would wear a distinctive red outfit.
However, far from thinking of them as regal, the British public nicknamed them "robins" instead. As members of the public awaited the postman's arrival, especially at Christmas, when they were expecting cards from family and friends who lived far away, they would be delighted to see the "robin" walking up the garden path.
Hence Christmas cards in the 1880s began to show a colourful drawing of a postman in his bright red coat, carrying a sack of mail. As he was nicknamed the "robin", some artists drew a picture of a real robin, chirpily carrying a Christmas card in his beak - one of the first cute animal cards!
This cemented the robin's association with Christmas and today, the humble bird is an integral part of the festive season more than 130 years later, with his image appearing on millions of Christmas cards.
The north wind doth blow!
People have enjoyed watching robins hopping and foraging around their gardens for generations.
In the warmer months, robins in the wild enjoy eating seeds and fruits including strawberries, raspberries, cherries, blueberries and apples. However, in winter, when fruit is less plentiful, their favourite food is mealworms.
Robins won't normally eat bird seed, but they do like to drink and bathe regularly, so make sure you leave them plenty of fresh water.
In general, birds require high-energy foods during the cold winter months, as this helps them to maintain their fat reserves, which in turn keeps them warm on the frosty nights.
If you wish to give birds a helping hand to survive over the cold winter months, Solent Plastics has a range of products suitable for storing bird food.
Our airtight plastic storage boxes and trunks protect perishable foods from water, dust and damp. Store them in your garden shed or greenhouse and they'll keep the bird food fresh.
Please contact us for details of our wide range of plastic storage solutions.