Saint Stephen's Day

Unlike many countries round the world, the day after Christmas is not a public holiday in France. Au contraire, the 26th of December can be quite a sombre day - Christmas is over, and it will be nearly another year until the festivities start again. Many go back to work, while some are already busy taking down decorations.

In a small part of France, however, namely the Alsace-Moselle region, the 26th of December - known as St Stephen’s Day - is as much a public holiday as the 25th. This region has historic ties to Germany, where St Stephen’s Day is also a public holiday, as it is in much of Europe, and the French government allows the two million people who live here to maintain the tradition. While Saint Stephen does not have any direct links to Christmas, this public holiday is in effect a way of extending the Christmas holiday, similar to Boxing Day in some Commonwealth countries or Wren Day in Ireland.

Saint Stephen is considered the first Christian martyr, meaning the first Christian to have died for his faith. He was a deacon in Jerusalem in the first century AD, and is remembered as the patron saint of deacons, bricklayers and stonemasons.

Food is often at the heart of St Stephen’s Day celebrations. For dinner, many households will typically feast on the leftovers from Le Réveillon, such as roasted fowl, vérrines (small entrées served in glasses) and festive desserts like la bûche de Noël. Les pains d’habitant, round loaves of bread baked, are also a popular delicacy. They are typically baked on Christmas Day to be eaten the day after.

Unlike other public holidays in France, Saint Stephen’s Day isn’t celebrated with parades or fireworks or indeed any kinds of conspicuous display. On the whole, most families will spend the day resting, eating and enjoying the presents they received the day before.