HelloAngel said:
Ok.. seriously... Boxing Day is that day you box up stuff to throw out? Like Christmas stuff only, or just many things because of the New Year coming and the want to start new?
mrs edge LMFAO.
Hmmm. Well, I thought I'd look up the origin of Boxing Day, and I always knew it had to do with the servants taking the day off, but I also thought it had to do with putting away the Christmas boxes. Maybe not! Here's a bit of history....
What is Boxing Day?
Traditional English holiday extends Christmas giving
by David Johnson
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Despite its name, Boxing Day, which is celebrated on December 26 in Great Britain, has nothing to do with pugilistic competition. Nor is it a day for people to return unwanted Christmas presents. While the exact origins of the holiday are obscure, it is likely that Boxing Day began in England during the Middle Ages.
Some historians say the holiday developed because servants were required to work on Christmas Day, but took the following day off. As servants prepared to leave to visit their families, their employers would present them with gift boxes.
Church Alms Boxes
Another theory is that the boxes placed in churches where parishioners deposited coins for the poor were opened and the contents distributed on December 26, which is also the Feast of St. Stephen.
As time went by, Boxing Day gift giving expanded to include those who had rendered a service during the previous year. This tradition survives today as people give presents to tradesmen, mail carriers, doormen, porters, and others who have helped them.
First Weekday after Christmas
Boxing Day is celebrated in Great Britain and in most areas settled by the English (the U.S. is the major exception), including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. However, Boxing Day is generally considered to be the first weekday following Christmas. If Christmas falls on a Friday or a weekend then Boxing Day is the following Monday.