The planned title for today’s post was “A Day with the Grandkids.” We are in Georgia with our children and grandchildren and we were planning to abscond with the grandkids for a good part of the day today. But one of them isn’t feeling well and the other is not really awake yet, so now our plan is to go to lunch with our daughter and the grandchild who isn’t sick. That’s not much fodder to work with. Then a little while ago I saw a Twitter post that said “Happy Boxing Day to Those Who Celebrate” and that made me think about Boxing Day. I’ve heard about it, of course, and I’m pretty sure I’ve also heard what it’s all about, but I don’t remember it now. So off to the Google machine I went.
According to Wikipedia, Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated after Christmas Day, occurring on the second day of Christmastide (26 December). Though it originated as a holiday to give gifts to the poor, today Boxing Day is primarily known as a shopping holiday. It originated in Great Britain and is celebrated in a number of countries that previously formed part of the British Empire. If necessary, the attached bank holiday or public holiday may take place on 28 December to ensure it falls on a weekday. Boxing Day is also concurrent with the Catholic holiday Saint Stephen's Day.
There are several theories about the origins of the term:
There is a European tradition of giving money and other gifts to those in need or in service traditions; the term may refer to the alms box placed in the narthex of Christian churches to collect donations for the poor.
The Oxford English Dictionary gives the earliest use of the term to the 1830s, defining it as the first weekday after Christmas day, observed as a holiday on which postmen, errand boys, and servants of various kinds expect to receive a Christmas box. The term “Christmas box” dates to the 17th century and meant a present given at Christmas to an employee or service person.
The holiday is observed primarily in the UK and in countries that are formerly parts of the British empire. In most of these countries, the day is known primarily as a shopping day, featuring dramatic price reductions. In terms of seasonal shopping traditions, Boxing Day sales have been compared to the US phenomenon of Black Friday sales (the day after the American Thanksgiving holiday).
In the UK, it is traditional for football (soccer) and rugby leagues to hold a full program of games on Boxing Day.
So to summarize for an American audience – Boxing Day is Black Friday (shopping) and New Year’s Day (football) rolled into one.
Happy Boxing Day to those who celebrate!
Great info, Karen!
Ha! When I was a kid on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, we always went shopping in Baltimore to take advantage of the sales on Boxing Day. As an adult, I always went to a big party on on the top of a mountain in Boulder, CO, because the hostess explained that she already had the sunk costs of cleaning and cooking for Christmas Day with the family and she might as well enjoy the next day with friends to take care of the leftovers and remainder of wine in the basement. It was perfect. I love Boxing Day.