Festive Flight

Voted Britain’s favourite bird back in the 60s, the robin seems intrinsically linked to this time of year – but why?

- Judith Palmer

Christmas and robins seem to go hand in hand, but the origins of this connection do not appear to be quite so straight-forward.

The familiar ‘robin redbreast’ gave its name to the first postmen during Queen Victoria’s reign, who wore red jackets and therefore became known as ‘robins’, linking them to the delivery of Christmas cards and cementing their appearance on the seasonal cards ever since. But there are several links which pre-date Victorian postmen, and according to Christian fable the robin’s red breast has a direct link to Christianity.