Boxing Day Traditions
Boxing Day and Tradition There isn't any consensus about the origins of the secular holiday that occurs on December 26th. As far back as the Middle Ages, people have been concerned about caring for the poor and the practice then was to place an Alms box inside the church to collect donations for them. Some believe that the name Boxing Day Tradition was tied to the idea of the Alms box.
In Roman times and at the beginning of the Christian era, metal boxes were placed outside of churches to collect special offerings for the Feast of St. Steven which is also recognized on December 26th.
Records back to 1663 mention the tradition of bosses and employers preparing Christmas boxes for their servants and for tradesmen who were required to work on Christmas Day. Because of this, they were given time off on December 26 so they could be with their families. The Christmas boxes were filled by the wealthy with money, presents and sometimes leftover food as a way of giving thanks for services received throughout the year.
Boxing Day is recognized in several countries in the world. For some it is a bank or public holiday. Some countries look forward to sporting events such as rugby, hunting, hockey, football, or basketball that are scheduled to be played on Boxing Day.
For years Boxing Day has been a time for retail stores to experience record sales because of their discounted pricing. Shoppers often spend hours waiting for doors to open in order to take advantage of drastically marked down items. I remember as a child that my aunt and uncle would wait until December 26th to do their Christmas shopping because they thought it was silly to pay full price for the same items that would cost a great deal less the following day.
Over the years, many of the things associated with Boxing Day have changed. Those who are in the retail business usually need to hire extra staff to help them serve the crowds that show up looking for bargains. No time off for them.
Legislation also has been inconsistent regarding whether or not December 26 is a bank or statutory holiday. In some areas it is recognized. In others it is not and in still others it is optional.
In modern times, we do not usually associate the day after Christmas with putting out an Alms Box for the poor or a metal box for special offerings. Most of us do not have servants or employees to whom we would give our left overs. Not everyone will sleep on the street outside of a big box store in order to purchase a discounted item and many of us do not consider December 26th as a day for sports.
Tradition is a personal thing that we choose and then honour over and over again.
What will you do on Boxing Day? Will you go to work, spend time doing a clean up from the mess of Christmas Day, have a nap or read a book?
Perhaps this year you will be creative and start a new tradition for Boxing Day!
Whether you prefer to go out around town or enjoy a quiet day at home with family, Boxing Day has many traditions that appeal to people of all ages. This holiday centers around a variety of activities that can be enjoyed with both friends and family.
Boxing Day is celebrated the day after Christmas, traditionally in all of Great Britain and also Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. The holiday is observed by many businesses, particularly banks, post offices, and government offices. This tradition has been in existence since 1871. The day is generally celebrated in conjunction with the Feast of St. Stephen, who was one of the seven original deacons ordained by the Apostles of the Christian Church to take care of the widows and the indigent. St. Stephen was eventually stoned to death for his faith in God and Christ.
Some traditions that are associated with Boxing Day include:
Honor Those Who Serve Gift box One of the oldest and most popular traditions of Boxing Day is to give a gift of money to those people who provide you with services throughout the year. When this tradition started, it was a day that the wealthy gave off to their servants. The wealthy would give a box containing a gift to their servants as a gesture of appreciation. Today, the tradition has expanded to show appreciation to anyone who provides you a service. This can include the mailman, bellhop, garbage collector and your pastor. You can also remember those people with a small, simple present in lieu of money.
Help the Less Fortunate Another popular tradition on Boxing Day is to give to those who are less fortunate than you are. You can donate money to a local food bank, give to a family from your church or make a donation to a local charity.
Sporting Events Many people observe Boxing Day by taking in a sporting event, like horse racing or a football game. Gather a group of friends and spend the day together cheering on your favorite team.
Polar Bear Plunge Others prefer to participate in the annual plunge into the freezing English Channel along with members of various swimming clubs on Boxing Day. This daring event raises money for a range of charities.
There are also others who enjoy participating in or simply watching a regatta or those who are brave enough to jump into the Channel themselves.
Shopping Deals Shopping bags Boxing Day, much like Black Friday in the United States, is a day filled with great deals and bargains for shoppers. Many make it a tradition to hit the stores to take advantage of the Boxing Day sales and specials. Stores open early to expand on this tradition and get shoppers ready to make purchases and enjoy the deals.
Out With Friends On Boxing Day, many people make it a tradition to meet friends and visit the local pubs in the area. In addition to people enjoying drinking and socializing with friends, local establishments enjoy the extra business and crowds. Of course, extra police are on duty to make sure that things do not get unruly or out of hand.
Stay at Home Many people simply like to stay at home on Boxing Day. Inviting family and friends over is a common tradition on this day as well. People enjoy their presents from Christmas and many set up a buffet filled with holiday leftovers such as:
Glazed ham Cold sliced beef Leftover turkey Variety of cold salads Cheese and crackers Pickles Bread Share and Create Memories However you celebrate Boxing Day, take this opportunity to get together with those you love. You can enjoy sharing special memories from holiday seasons past and create new memories that will last a lifetime.
6 Things You Should Know About Boxing Day Relax, Hallmark conspiracy theorists: Boxing Day isn’t some prank to confuse America. It’s a real holiday in the United Kingdom and other European countries that dates back to the days of Queen Victoria. Here are some facts to get you up to speed.
1. IT OCCURS ON DECEMBER 26TH. Boxing Day is observed annually on December 26. If it falls on a weekend, the public holiday itself will be celebrated on Monday. It became an official holiday during the reign of Queen Victoria, though some historians trace its origins back much further—to medieval times. Today, it's largely an extension of the Christmas holiday and a big day for sporting events and shopping.
2. NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHERE THE NAME ORIGINATED. Many historians think the holiday’s name is derived from the church practice of opening alms boxes the day after Christmas and distributing money to the poor. Historically, British employers followed the church’s lead by sliding workers and servants gifts or cash on December 26.
Others believe the "box" refers to the boxes of gifts employers gave to their servants on the day after Christmas. (In wealthy households, servants were often required to work on Christmas Day but given December 26th off in order to celebrate the holiday on their own.)
3. IT'S A BIG DAY FOR SHOPPING. Historically, Boxing Day's post-Christmas sales have long made it one of the U.K.'s busiest shopping days of the year. And while it still falls within the top five biggest shopping days of the year, the popularity of online shopping has reduced the overall spending people do on December 26.
“Fifteen years ago it was pretty much guaranteed that you would only get big sales a few times a year—Boxing Day and the big summer clearance," Bryan Roberts, an analyst at Kantar Retail, told The Telegraph in 2015. That is no longer the case.”
“The Boxing Day sales are pretty much dead,” Roberts added. “Black Friday and Cyber Monday illustrate Christmas sales are starting earlier and earlier. There is a possibility prices will just keep on dropping in the run-up to Christmas. This makes the Boxing Day sales incredibly diluted."
4. THERE IS NO BOXING INVOLVED. Despite the name, British observances of Boxing Day involve no fisticuffs. For patricians, however, another sport rules the day: fox hunting. Though it's a long-held tradition, many animal rights activists and groups would like to see the practice done away with altogether. Especially since, technically, it's illegal. In the days leading up to Boxing Day, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is often very vocal in reminding citizens that "The chasing or killing of foxes and other British mammals with a pack of dogs was banned because the overwhelming majority of the UK public rejected this so-called 'sport' as cruel and abhorrent."
5. SOME OTHER COUNTRIES DO TAKE THE NAME MORE LITERALLY. In other countries, Boxing Day celebrations are more literal. Some former British colonies in Africa and the Caribbean celebrate the holiday with prizefighting events.
6. IN IRELAND, DECEMBER 26TH IS SOMETIMES KNOWN AS WREN DAY. Ireland sometimes refers to December 26 as Wren Day, a nod to an old tradition in which poor children would kill a wren, then sell the feathers to neighbors for good luck. In today’s celebrations, the wren is fake.
