Although somewhat reduced in (participating) membership over the years,
Lit-Ideas remains an international list and it is interesting to read about
customs which may not be universally practiced or understood by all list
members.
As a Canadian, I grew up hearing December 26th referred to as — and inevitably
participating in the customs and practices associated with — ‘Boxing Day’.
Here are alternate answers to questions regarding the term’s etymology.
1. The long answer:
"The exact etymology of the term “boxing” is unclear and there are several
competing theories ...
"The tradition has long included giving money and other gifts to those who were
needy and in service positions. The European tradition has been dated to the
Middle Ages ... metal boxes placed outside churches were used to collect
special offerings tied to the Feast of Saint Stephen.
"In the United Kingdom, it certainly became a custom of the nineteenth-century
Victorians for tradesmen to collect their “Christmas boxes” or gifts on the day
after Christmas in return for good and reliable service ...
"Another possibility is that the name derives from an old English tradition: in
exchange for ensuring that wealthy landowners’ Christmases ran smoothly, their
servants were allowed to take the 26th off ... The employers gave each servant
a box containing gifts ... In addition, around the 1800s, churches opened their
alms boxes ... and distributed the contents to the poor.”
For more, see
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_Day
2. The short answer (a compilation of material from Wikipedia and a cartoon
seen recently):
"In the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, Boxing Day is primarily known
as a shopping holiday, much like Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) in
the United States."
In this commercial day and age, Christmas has become a bit of a joke. Boxing
Day is the punchline.
Chris Bruce,
relocated to a land where Dec. 26th is known as
the 2nd day of Christmas & all stores are closed;
Kiel, Germany
- -
------------------------------------------------------------------
To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off,
digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html
