St Stephen's Day Murders

Saint Stephen, considered the first Christian martyr, was stoned to death in 36 AD.  He is celebrated on the second day of Christmastide, December 26, a day considered a holiday in several countries, including Ireland.  One writer describes it as:

. . . the day where the previous day’s indulgences are to be dealt with, boarded up and cleaned out. It’s also the day where simmering tensions that may have been temporarily quelled by the season’s festivities start to arise, and the quickest way to assuage them is by drowning them in liquor and leftovers. 

In 1991, Elvis Costello created his sardonic take on the day which he recorded with the great Irish band The Chieftains.  Enjoy. 

I knew of two sisters whose name it was Christmas

And one was named Dawn of course, the other one was named Eve. 

I wonder if they grew up hating the season, The good will that lasts til the Feast of St. Stephen 

For that is the time to eat, drink, and be merry,  

Til the beer is all spilled and the whiskey has flowed.  

And the whole family tree you neglected to bury,  

Are feeding their faces until they explode.  

There'll be laughter and tears over Tia Marias,  

Mixed up with that drink made from girders.

Cause it's all we've got left as they draw their last breath,  

Ah, it's nice for the kids, as you finally get rid of them,

In the St Stephen's Day Murders. 

 

Uncle is garglin' a heart-breaking air,  

While the babe in his arms pulls out all that remains of his hair.  

And we're not drunk enough yet to dare criticize,  

The great big kipper tie he's about to baptize. 

With his gin-flavored whiskers and kisses of sherry, 

His best Chrimbo shirt slung out over the shop.  

While the lights from the Christmas tree blow up the telly,  

His face closes in like an old cold pork chop.  

And the carcass of the beast left over from the feast, 

May still be found haunting the kitchen. 

And there's life in it yet, we may live to regret,  

When the ones that we poisoned stop twitchin'.  

There'll be laughter and tears over Tia Marias, 

Mixed up with that drink made from girders. 

Cause it's all we've got left as they draw their last breath,  

Ah, it's nice for the kids, as you finally get rid of them,

In the St Stephen's Day Murders.