Robert

Can anyone tell me what Boxing Day is all about in England?

George Holt

Traditionally Boxing Day is the day when tradesmen - milkmen, chimney sweeps etc. - would visit all the houses on their round and receive their Christmas Box, a gratuity basically, in recognition of a years good services. I'm not sure why it was called a 'box'. Nowadays its just a good excuse for an extra day off at Christmas. It is 26th December, but if that falls on a weekend the holiday is observed on the next weekday (similarly for Christmas Day).

Lee Gruenwald

Dear Robert: See what you've been missing in the U.S.A. and you didn't have to go across the Atlantic to discover Boxing Day. We celebrate Boxing Day in Canada too and everyone has December 26th off work at Christmas time, enabling us to recuperate from the 25th! One of the many benefits of keeping the Queen. ps. Did you know that Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada? Let's face it, the pilgrims would have had to eat frozen pumpkins in late November or dig the turkeys out of the the New England snow.

Jack Little

I once heard that for each new toy or other gift a child got for Christmas, they would box up one of their older, but still usable, toys or similar gifts to give to a less advantaged child on Boxing Day. I have not been able to confirm that story.

Vicki

I was told by a Brit friend that the origin of Boxing day was when the rich folks would discard their CHristmas boxes, and the servants would take them home the day after for their second-hand use. Definitely a class thing--which is why it didn't carry over to the States!

Anna

Hey, this is really interesting. I never know the US didn't have Boxing Day! We have it in Australia too. I always heard that it was simply the day that all the Christmas boxes where cleared away, either to the attic or thrown away. Certainly heard of no class implications, and there certainly are none now. These days, nothing special happens on that day, its just an extra day holiday to recover from the excesses of the day before!

sabrina

...and in addition to the excellent responses above, it is also traditionally the day (in today's society anyway) when you visit relatives that you couldn't face the day before while you're still comatose!

Leslie

In Germany, there are actually two days of Christmas, the 25th and 26th. In fact, the expression, froliche Weihnachten means happy Christmases (plural). Traditionally, Christmas Eve is when the kids all get to open their presents, and then one set of inlaws is visitied the first Christmas Day, the second set the second day. In the UK, there is only one day of Christmas, and Boxing Day, but still it's basically two days off. I think we need two days in the States!

`ANN

BEING RAISED IN CANADA, I GREW UP WITH THE EXPLANATION THAT BOXING DAY, DEC. 26 WAS THE DAY THAT THE SERVANTS RECEIVED THEIR CHRISTMAS BOXES FROM THEIR EMPLOYERS, AS THEY WERE OTHERWISE OCCUPIED ON THE 25TH WAITING ON AND ATTENDING TO THEIR EMPLOYERS.

Tim Walshe

Hi,
Interesting international flavour to this question. In Ireland the 26th is more commonly know as St. Stephan's day and it too is a holiday. Traditionally a day for visiting friends, relatives and neighbours, in many rural parts, a spreicial Wren celebration is held. Pronounced 'Wran' a group of merry makers and musicians dress up in straw-type clothes and travel from house to house making music and singing in celebration of the Wren ... 'The Wren, the Wren, the King of all birds' !

Cindy

Despite the fact that I am the 14th person to respond to this query I HAVE to put my two pence in. It is my belief that Boxing Day originated during the Middle Ages - the name refers not to presents put into boxes but to the alms boxes that were placed in the churches at Christmas time to collect money to provide food for the poor. The Church opened the alms boxes on Christmas Day and distributed food on the following day - December 26th. Along those lines it was another long established custom for apprentices and servants to request money from their masters and master's customers at Christmas time - these gifts of money were kept in an earthenware 'box' with a slit at the top. These were opened (broken) on the day after Christmas allowing as much time as possible for everyone to give generously!! A similiar tradition involved tradesmen who provided services during the year (dustmen, lamp lighters, watchmen) coming to the house to ask for recognition in appreciation for their services... guess they didn't want to be excluded!