My niece wants to know the origan for boxing days please?

Question

I think its something to do with servants getting their gifts the day after christmas day, isnt it. but whats the full story

Answer 1

if you want to read about the Origins of B/D go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_day

Answer 2

It does indeed date back to the days of a household full of servants. These would be expected to work on Christmas day when their masters would do even less than usual and demand even more. The next day, however, the master/mistress of the house would box up the leftovers from the christmas feast and give them to the servants to enjoy.

Answer 3

Boxing Day originated in England in the middle of the nineteenth century under Queen Victoria. December 26th, or Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated in Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and other Commonwealth countries. It is spent with family and friends at open gatherings with lots of food, fun, friendship and love. Boxing Day is so called because it was the custom on that day for tradesmen to collect their Christmas boxes or gifts in return for good and reliable service throughout the year. Boxing Day is also St. Stephen's Day. St Stephen was a little known saint who achieved eternal fame by being the first Christian to be martyred for his faith by being stoned to death shortly after Christ's crucifixion.
The traditional celebration of Boxing Day included giving money and other gifts to charitable institutions, needy individuals, and people in service jobs. The holiday may date from the Middle Ages (A.D. 400's--1500's), but the exact origin is unknown. It may have begun with the lords and ladies of England, who presented Christmas gifts in boxes to their servants on December 26. Or it may have begun with priests, who opened the church's alms (charity) boxes on the day after Christmas and distributed the contents to the poor.
Some say the tradition stems from Roman times when money to pay for athletic games was collected in boxes. Amongst the ruins of Pompeii, boxes made out of earthenware with slits in the top full of coins have been found. Later the Romans brought the idea of collecting boxes to Britain, and monks and clergy soon used similar boxes to collect money for the poor at Christmas. On the day after Christmas, the priests used to open the boxes and distribute the contents to the poor of the village. Thus this day came to be called Boxing Day.

Answer 4

My understanding is that it's the feast of St Stephen and was traditionally the day when gifts were exchanged - not Christmas Day as this was considered too holy. The gifts I assume, were in small boxes!!

Answer 5

the truth is nothing fancy the day after christmas was the day people put out all the boxes there gifts came in and mr garbage man took them away boxing day in a nutshell. lots of other reasons since then but that was why it was called that.

Answer 6

Traditionally, everyone opened their presents on the 26th December as the 25th was a day of prayer etc.