What is Boxing Day for???
Can someone please explain what Boxing Day is for. I don't understand!!
2007-12-09 03:42:54 · 4 answers · asked by «k a r e n» 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Other - Holidays
December 26.
One story on how this name came to be is in the old days the servants had to work on Christmas day at their employers home and they would get the next day off. They got to box up the leftovers from Christmas day to take home to their own families.
I know Boxing Day is celebrated in the UK and Canada. I had a British friend who said Christmas day was for family and Boxing Day was for friends.
2007-12-09 03:52:52 · answer #1 · answered by Invisigoth 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Although there are many different theories as to how precisely it got it's name, boxing day is widely believed to have originated when the lord of the manor would give his peasants/servants a Christmas bonus style gift on the 26th of December. Either these gifts would be supplied in boxes, or the serfs themselves would bring boxes which their lord would fill with gifts. Another theory is the alms box in a local church would be opened on Christmas day and the donations shared amongst the poor by the 26th. Because such a practice wasn't common in the US it's only celebrated in the UK and commonwealth countries; it's still a bank holiday in the UK.
2007-12-09 03:52:00 · answer #2 · answered by Mordent 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's also called St. Stephen's Day. It started in England. Christmas is the day where people of the same class gave each other gifts, and Boxing day is the day where higher class people give gifts to lower class people...usually employers to employees. It's called Boxing day because they put gifts in boxes. Also, back back long ago, priests use to open up their charity boxes and give money out to the poor on Boxing day..
2007-12-09 12:37:10 · answer #3 · answered by Joseph 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are lots of theories out there, the most common would be that you take that day to box up all the presents and decorations.
I believe the day stems from servants being given gifts by their employers way back in the old days. The servants would box those gifts to send to their families. Something like that.
2007-12-09 03:51:36 · answer #4 · answered by cobra2140 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋