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• Boxing Day •

Pronunciation: bahk-sing day • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun phrase

Meaning: No, it isn't a day we traditionally get into the ring, though children overjoyed at the bounty of Christmas might have gotten a boxing of the ears in days past. It is the first weekday following Christmas, the traditional day for giving gifts to servants and employees in the English-speaking world.

Notes: England, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada still observe December 26 as an official holiday. If the day after Christmas is Saturday or Sunday, Boxing Day is the following Monday.

In Play: Boxing Day is also known as the Feast of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr. It originated in 19th century England under Queen Victoria, when it was the day "on which postmen, errand boys, and servants of various kinds received a Christmas box of contributions from those whom they serve," in the words of Charles Dickens. If you come from one of the unfortunate English-speaking nations that does not recognize Boxing Day, just remember that it comes right after "unboxing" day, Christmas.

Word History: Boxing Day is probably the day after Christmas because servants often worked on Christmas. It was called "Boxing Day" because it was the day when a box was filled with Christmas gifts and delivered to service providers. (We hope our old friend Grogie of the Alpha Agora, had a wonderful holiday as a reward for suggesting today's very topical, seasonal phrase.)

Boxing day wouldn't work here, folks even those destined to serve, expect their stuff on or before Christmas.

I like paying my servers first, that way my service is good forever

mark tries-to-share Bailey

Although bankers would not be traditionally thought of as being part of the servant class, modern bankers in the UK and other lands do enjoy a bank holiday on Boxing Day.

We always thought boxing day was the day to box up gifts that don't fit and return them!

it is, the tradition is to give your old stuff to your servants, like goodwill is here only they don't have to pay[through the nose] to get castoffs.

mark has-a-special-giveaway-program-through-freecycle Bailey

Freecycle's a great group--when I joined I was pleasantly surprised by the number of members that were located in my county.

I'd encourage everyone to look at it.

I Love Freecycle, this year we packed up a 2 big boxes of new and nearly new things [these were passed on to others after folks took what they wanted and added other things] so people could give gifts to those loved ones who weren't getting much or couldn't buy for them.
Most of my mother's estate, including her whole house, her appliances, even counter tops, furnace and air conditioner were given away. We actually started the freecycle in our area. Go to yahoo groups and look up one for your county or city. Join and start giving your cast offs to your local people. That's a real boxing day spirit.

mark ha-ha-emptied-my-garage-people-hauled-it-all-away-for-me Bailey

YOUR MOTHER'S WHOLE HOUSE!? You ARE generous people. I hope (I'm sure you saw to it.) that some well-deserving folks got it.

The house was dismantled and hauled away but everything of value was given away, I kept some things but ended up giving most of that away too. I just told the neighbors to take what they wanted so they distributed it all.

mark no-big-deal Bailey