BOXING DAY AND DECEMBER 26

 THE MEANING OF BOXING DAY AS CELEBRATED ON DECEMBER 26

A. BOXING DAY

Boxing Day is a holiday that is celebrated a day after Christmas Day. So, it occurs on the second day of Christmastide, that is, 26th December. 

B. AIM OF BOXING DAY

Originally, Boxing Day was a day to donate gifts to those who are in need. However, it has advanced to become a part of Christmas festivities, with many people choosing to shop for deals on Boxing Day. 

C. ORIGIN OF BOXING DAY

Boxing Day originated in the United Kingdom. Today, it is celebrated in several Commonwealth nations. When it first began by the civil society, banks do go on holiday; and even the general public does go on holiday.

If December 26 falls on a Saturday, its public holiday will be celebrated on a Monday. If it falls on a Sunday, its public holiday will be celebrated on a Monday while that of December 25 that falls on a Saturday will be celebrated on a Tuesday. 

Boxing Day is also concurrent with the Christian festival Saint Stephen's Day. It is related to Day of Goodwill.

In parts of Europe, such as Catalonia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Romania, Sweden, Belgium, Norway, and the Republic of Ireland, 26 December is Saint Stephen's Day, which is considered the second day of Christmas.

D. ETYMOLOGY

There are many theories on the origins of the term BOXING DAY, but these theories do not support one another. The European tradition of giving money and other gifts to those who are in need, or who are in service positions, has been dated to the Middle Ages, but the exact origin is unknown. However, it may refer to the alms box placed in the front of Christian churches to collect donations for the poor. The tradition may come from a custom in the late Roman and early Christian era, wherein alms boxes placed in churches were used to collect special offerings tied to the Feast of Saint Stephen, which, in the Western Christian Churches, falls on the same day as Boxing Day. On this day, it is customary in some localities for the alms boxes to be opened and distributed to the poor.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, Boxing Day started in Britain in 1743. It is the day after Christmas day. Too, on this day traditionally, tradespeople, employees, and so on do receive presents or gratuities (a Christmas box) from their customers or employers.

The term Christmas box dates back to the 17th century. The commonest story is this: 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. This is mentioned in Samuel Pepys' diary entry for 19 December 1663. This custom is linked to an older British tradition in which the servants of the wealthy were allowed the next day to visit their families since they would have had to serve their masters on Christmas Day. The employers would give each servant a box to take home containing gifts, bonuses, and sometimes leftover food. Until the late 20th century, there continued to be a tradition among many in the UK to give a Christmas gift, usually cash, to hawkers and other petty traders, although not on Boxing Day, as many would not work on that day.

In Nigeria, Boxing Day is a public holiday for working people and students. When it falls on a Saturday or Sunday, there is always a holiday on the following Monday. In Scotland, Boxing Day has been specified as an additional bank holiday since 1974, by royal proclamation under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971. In Singapore, Boxing Day was a public holiday for working people and students; when it fell on a Saturday or Sunday, there was a holiday on the following Monday. However, Boxing Day is no longer a public holiday. In South Africa, 26 December is the Day of Goodwill, a public holiday. In Trinidad and Tobago, Boxing Day is a public holiday. In the UK outside Scotland, 26 December (unless it is a Sunday) has been a bank holiday since 1871. When 26 December falls on a Saturday, the associated public holiday is on the following Monday, 28 December. When 26 December falls on a Sunday, the public holiday is the following Tuesday 28 December, with the substitute day for Christmas Day being observed on the Monday. The same practice is observed in Canada.

E. THEORIES ABOUT BOXING DAY

There are plenty of theories, which include:

The name is a reference to holiday gifts. Boxing Day was traditionally a day off for servants and the day when they received a gift from their employer. The servants would also go home on Boxing Day to give gifts to their families.

The name is a reference to charity drives. A box to collect money for the poor traditionally and placed in Churches on Christmas day and opened the next day, or Boxing Day.

The name refers to a nautical tradition. When setting sail, ships would carry a sealed box containing money for good luck. If the voyage was a success, the box was given to a priest, opened at Christmas, and the contents then given to the poor.

F. THE ECCLESIASTICAL DIMENSION OF BOXING DAY 

During the middle Ages in Europe, it was customary for many Catholic churches to open up alms boxes on the day of Christmas to collect money for distribution to the poor. On the 26th, those boxes are opened and the money distributed to the poor. Some churches would also distribute Christmas boxes, which were boxes filled with practical items such as food, cloth, and fuel for families in need. This tradition was inspired by the Scriptural passage in the Gospel according to Matthew, which describes the Magi bringing boxes of gifts for the infant Jesus. The boxes were an attempt to help the poor in honor of the humble birth of Christ Jesus.

In addition, December 26th is also the Feast of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr recorded in the New Testament. St. Stephen was stoned to death for blasphemy. In honor of his sacrifice, alms collected in church boxes were called Stephens money. Eventually, December 26th became widely known as St. Stephens Day.

In imitation of this Church practice, the workers, apprentices, and servants kept their own personal boxes made of earthenware in which they stored savings and donations throughout the year. At Christmas came the last and greatest flow of coins, collected from patrons, customers, and friends. Then, on the day after Christmas, the box was broken and the money counted. This custom was eventually called boxing (giving and accepting presents). Each present is boxed, and the day of present-giving is boxing day.

A similar custom prevailed in Holland and some parts of Germany. Children were taught to save their pennies in a pig-shaped earthenware box. This box was not to be opened until Christmas, and consequently was called the feast pig. From this custom, we now have our piggy banks.

CONCLUSION

Even as church attendance declined in Europe over time, the tradition of Boxing Day is still on. Many employers would give boxes of gifts, bonuses, or leftover food to their servants and employees the day after Christmas. The name Boxing Day comes from these holiday boxes and gifts. Though it is no longer a formal religious observance, the name and roots of Boxing Day are tied to early Catholic traditions honoring St. Stephen and giving to the poor.

© Rev Fr Utazi Prince Marie Benignus Z