Boxing Day

Boxing Day is traditionally the day following Christmas Day, when servants and tradesmen would receive gifts from their bosses or employers, known as a "Christmas box". Today, Boxing Day occurs on 26 December (or the first weekday after Christmas Day, depending on regional laws). It is observed in Canada, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and some other Commonwealth nations.

HISTORY - It was started in the UK about 800 years ago, during the Middle Ages. It was the day when the alms box, collection boxes for the poor often kept in churches, were traditionally opened so that the contents could be distributed to poor people. Some churches still open these boxes on Boxing Day. It might have been the Romans that first brought this type of collecting box to the UK, but they used them to collect money for the betting games which they played during their winter celebrations!

In Britain, it was a custom for tradesmen to collect "Christmas boxes" of money or presents on the first weekday after Christmas as thanks for good service throughout the year. Since they would have to wait on their masters on Christmas Day, the servants of the wealthy were allowed the next day to visit their families. The employers would give each servant a box to take home containing gifts and bonuses, and sometimes leftover food.

In South Africa, Boxing Day was renamed to Day of Goodwill in 1994. In Ireland, the day is known as St. Stephen's Day. In many European countries (Germany, Poland, Scandinavia and the Netherlands) 26 December is celebrated as the Second Christmas Day. In Canada, Boxing Day is a federal public holiday where all full-time workers receive time off with pay.