Why is the day after Christmas called a boxing day?

Question

Many are telling Dec 26th is a boxing day.. What is exactly that mean. Why is that day mentioned like that..

Answer 1

Boxing Day
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Boxing Day is a public holiday celebrated in the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and Australia and many other Commonwealth countries on December 26, the day after Christmas Day;[1][2] or alternatively on the next weekday after Christmas.


The celebration is traditional, dating back to the middle ages, and consisted of the practice of giving of gifts to employees, the poor, or to people in a lower social class. The name has numerous folk etymologies[3]; the Oxford English Dictionary attributes it to the Christmas box; the verb box meaning: "To give a Christmas-box (colloq.); whence boxing-day."

Answer 2

I've heard two stories.

1. During the age of Fudalism, the serfs went to the land owner's house on Christmas for a good meal and some drinks. The next day (since the serfs were only there once a year) the land owner would shell out each serf's share of cloth, grain, iron goods, etc. The surfs would then lug the boxes back to their hovels and get back to work.

2. Around Christmas- well, actually, Solstice-children would go out an hunt a wren. Wren is, of course, the King of winter. They would then put the dead bird in a little box and bring him around to the neighbors to show the king was dead; the days would get longer. The tradition was smooshed into the Christmas-time celebration after Christianity spread over Europe.

OF NOTE: The children would often beg a penny or two for the privilege to see the king. Note now, the verse of the traditional song, still sung at Christmas:

"We are not daily begers/ who beg from door to door/
We are your neighbor's children/ who you have seen before"

"Love and Joy come to you/ and to you this Wassail, too..."

Answer 3

It's a British holiday, really, and other members (or former members) of the Commonwealth observe it as well. I've heard three theories as to how it got its name.

1) Servants had to work on Christmas Day, and so were given the 26th off. They were also given Christmas boxes (food, gifts, etc) by their employers on that day.

2) New items (toys, clothing, etc) received for Christmas were put away into their place, and the old ones they replaced were boxed up and given to charity.

3) Christmas leftovers were boxed up and given to the needy.

Answer 4

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.

Answer 5

I was told that people used to open their Christmas presents on boxing day - so the name refers to christmas boxes.

Answer 6

when i was a kid an uncle told me it was the day all the broken toys were boxed up and thrown away. i thought that was kind of funny.

Answer 7

thats easy! i asked my mum yesterday! this is true. The queen of england gives money to the poor in small red boxes and gold ribbon! Its true if you watch her speach on that day you can see her giving some out!

Answer 8

because of all the gift that require boxes and people have to get rid of all those boxes..


thats my guess i never heard the 26 being called that