In England, many Christmas cards feature the English robin. It is said that he has a red breast, but it looks more like a bird with brown feather on top, white feathers underneath, and orange feathers on the breast. There seems to be no reason for a picture of an English robin to be on a Christmas card, but there is a reason for the robin.
It is said that when the baby Jesus was born, he was cold. His mother, Mary asked the ox to blow on a fire to stoke it, but the ox was fast asleep and did not hear her request.
She then asked the donkey to blow on the small fire that was made to keep them warm. However, the donkey was also asleep and did not hear her request.
As she worried about how to stay warm and keep baby Jesus warm, she her a small fluttering of wings. The robin flew down to the fire and used his wings to stoke the fire like a bellow. All the while he sang a song.
As he flapped his wings to keep the fire going, he picked up small twigs and debris near the fire to continue giving kindling to the fire. As the kindling was put on the fire, a flame burst forth.
This flame burned the robin’s breast and turned it the reddish-orange color.
Mary picked up the robin and said, “May your chest always be red to show your good deed and kind heart.”
Today, the robin’s breast is red to recall this one little robin’s good deed.