Greencoachdog Posted December 25, 2007 Report Share Posted December 25, 2007 (edited) ... Edited November 9, 2009 by GCD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted December 25, 2007 Report Share Posted December 25, 2007 it's a day off work The more common stories include: * It was the day when people would give a present or boxing box to those who had worked for them throughout the year. * In feudal times, new year season was a reason for a gathering of extended families. All the serfs would gather their families in the manor of their lord, which made it easier for the lord of the estate to hand out annual stipends to the serfs. After all the Christmas parties on 26 December, the lord of the estate would give practical goods such as cloth, grains, and tools to the serfs who lived on his land. Each family would get a box full of such goods the day after Christmas. Under this explanation, there was nothing voluntary about this transaction; the lord of the manor was obliged to supply these goods. Because of the boxes being given out, the day was called Boxing Day. * In England many years ago, it was common practice for the servants to carry boxes to their employers when they arrived for their day's work on the day after Christmas. Their employers would then put coins in the boxes as special end-of-year gifts. This can be compared with the modern day concept of Christmas bonuses. The servants carried boxes for the coins, hence the name Boxing Day. * In churches, it was traditional to open the church's donation box on Christmas Day, and the money in the donation box was to be distributed to the poorer or lower class citizens on the next day. In this case, the "box" in "Boxing Day" comes from that lockbox in which the donations were left. pick one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greencoachdog Posted December 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted December 25, 2007 (edited) ... Edited November 9, 2009 by GCD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccmtcanada Posted December 25, 2007 Report Share Posted December 25, 2007 One thing I had heard growing up was this..... When all the kids got their presents for Christmas, the parents would tell them that their old toys should be boxed up and then given away to kids who are less fortunate. Instead of them sitting in the basement with no one to use them, they'd go make another child very happy. We did this when we were young.... I'm not sure the true meaning, but that's what it means to us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Clemens Posted December 25, 2007 Report Share Posted December 25, 2007 Well Cliff ... that is a very good reason for "boxing" day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfish1965 Posted December 25, 2007 Report Share Posted December 25, 2007 My understanding of it is as Terry describes in number 2 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britmick Posted December 25, 2007 Report Share Posted December 25, 2007 On Christmas Day people of similar class would exchange gifts to celebrate, but on Boxing or St Stephens Day, those of the higher classes gave gifts to the lower classes. Boxing Day is so called because goods given to the less fortunate were placed into boxes for easier transportation. I'm expecting the mother-in-law to give me mine tomorrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy Posted December 25, 2007 Report Share Posted December 25, 2007 Great to see you back, Mick. A wonderful Christmas to you and yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irishfield Posted December 25, 2007 Report Share Posted December 25, 2007 You ever watch a group of women on a 75% off rack the day after Christmas ? You'd understand why it's called Boxing day Dawg ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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