When is Boxing Day?
In the UK, Boxing Day is usually celebrated on the day after Christmas Day – the 26th December. However, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, Boxing Day is the first weekday after Christmas.
Just as Christmas Day – Boxing Day is a public holiday. This used to mean that the day is a non-working day throughout the UK and when Boxing Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday the following Monday is a public holiday (nowadays many people work on public holidays mostly usually in the retail sector).
Why is the 26th December called Boxing Day?
Traditionally the 26th December was the day the “Christmas Box” was opened and the contents shared with the poor.
From the mid 19th century Boxing Day was the custom of giving trades people a Christmas box.
What is a Christmas Box?
The Christmas box was either a wooden or clay container where people placed their gifts for the poor.
The History of the Christmas Box
· To Protect Ships – During the Age of Exploration when great sailing ships set off to discover new lands a Christmas Box was used as a good luck device. A priest would place a small container on each ship whilst it was still in port and all the crewmen who wanted to return safely from their voyage who drop money into the box. It was then sealed up and kept onboard the ship for the duration of the voyage.
If the ship returned to port safely the sealed box was handed over to the priest who would say a Mass of thanks for the success of the voyage. The priest would keep the sealed box until Christmas when he would open the box to share the contents with the poor.
· To Help The Poor – On Christmas Day an “Alms Box” was placed in every church into which worshippers would place a gift for the poor of the parish. These boxes were then opened on the day after Christmas, thus the day becoming known as: Boxing Day
· Presents For The Workers – Many poorly paid workers were required to work on Christmas Day and were given the following day off so they could visit their families. As they prepared to leave their employers would give them Christmas boxes.
During the late 18th century – Lords and Ladies of the manor would “box up” their leftover food and sometimes even gifts and distribute them the day after Christmas to all the tenants who lived and worked on their lands.
· The Tradition Still Continues Today..... – The tradition of giving money to workers still continues today. It is customary for householders to give small monetary gifts to regular visiting trades people such as: the milkman / dustmen / paper boy / etc. In some workplaces employers give a Christmas bonus to their employees.
And more recently schools across the UK put together Christmas boxes of gifts, mainly for children that are sent to poorer countries.
St Stephen’s Day
Boxing Day is also known as St Stephen’s Day – mentioned in the Christmas carol: Good King Wenceslas
· Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the Feast of Stephen ......
Who Was St Stephen?
Stephen lived in Rome and was the first man to be killed for believing in the teachings of Jesus – his story can be found in Acts of the Apostles 6: 1 to 8: 2.
Some people believe that he shares this day with another St Stephen – who came from Sweden and is the patron saint of horses.
What Happens on Boxing Day in England?
· Boxing Day Hunts
Traditionally Boxing Day was a day for fox hunting where horse riders dressed in red and white riding gear and accompanied by dogs called foxhounds would chase a fox through the countryside until the fox was tired out which would enable the dogs to catch and kill the fox.
Animal welfare campaigners objected to fox hunting saying it was a cruel way to kill a fox whilst many of the participants viewed fox hunting as a crucial part of the rural history of England claiming it was vital for conservation and a method of pest control. This is why - in November 2004 MP’s voted to ban hunting with dogs in England and Wales therefore from 18th February 2005 it became a criminal offence to hunt with dogs however it is still legal to exercise hounds, chase a scent and flush out foxes to be shot.
· Family Time
Traditionally Boxing Day is the day when families get together to watch sport, play board games and eat the leftovers from Christmas Day.
· Shopping
In recent years retailers have broken with tradition and now open their shops on Boxing Day thus enabling them to start their New Year sales early. Hundreds of people now spend their Boxing Day queuing outside shops, usually Next / Gap / Selfridges / etc, waiting to be one of the first in line to bag a bargain.
Hope you all enjoy your Boxing Day – whatever you are choosing to do :D
Written by Andria Owen
Written by Andria Owen
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