Boxing Day
BOXING DAY
1. When is Boxing Day?
- In Britain, Boxing Day is usually celebrated on the following day after Christmas Day, which is 26 December.
- Like Christmas Day, Boxing Day is a public holiday. This means everybody doesn’t have to go to school or work on that day. If Boxing Day falls on Saturday or Sunday, the following Monday is the Boxing Day.
2. History of Boxing Day. Why is it called Boxing Day?
a) To protect ships:
- During the Age of Exploration, when the ships started to discover new land, a Christmas Box was used as a good luck symbol. It was a small thing placed on each ship. It was put by a priest, and to ensure a safety, the sailors would drop money into the box. After that, it was sealed up and kept on board for the entire trip.
- If the ship came home safely, the box was given to the priest. The priest would keep the box until Christmas when he would open it to share the contents with the poor. Therefore, Boxing Day is also called Christmas Box.
b) To help the poor:
- A box was placed in every church on Christmas Day and the worshippers placed a gift for the poor into it. These boxes were always opened the day after Christmas, it means the Boxing Day. So that day became know as Boxing Day.
c) A present for the workers:
- Many poor workers had to work on Christmas Day. So they took the following day off to visit their families. When they left, their employers would present them with Christmas box.
- During the late 18th century, Lords and Ladies would "box up" their leftover food or gifts and distribute them the day after Christmas to tenants who lived and worked on their lands.
d) And the tradition still continues today ...
- The tradition of giving money to workers still continues today.
- It is customary that householders give small gifts or monetary tips to regular visiting people (the milkman, dustman, paper boy, etc.)
- And in some work places, employers give a Christmas bonus to employees.
1. When is Boxing Day?
- In Britain, Boxing Day is usually celebrated on the following day after Christmas Day, which is 26 December.
- Like Christmas Day, Boxing Day is a public holiday. This means everybody doesn’t have to go to school or work on that day. If Boxing Day falls on Saturday or Sunday, the following Monday is the Boxing Day.
2. History of Boxing Day. Why is it called Boxing Day?
a) To protect ships:
- During the Age of Exploration, when the ships started to discover new land, a Christmas Box was used as a good luck symbol. It was a small thing placed on each ship. It was put by a priest, and to ensure a safety, the sailors would drop money into the box. After that, it was sealed up and kept on board for the entire trip.
- If the ship came home safely, the box was given to the priest. The priest would keep the box until Christmas when he would open it to share the contents with the poor. Therefore, Boxing Day is also called Christmas Box.
b) To help the poor:
- A box was placed in every church on Christmas Day and the worshippers placed a gift for the poor into it. These boxes were always opened the day after Christmas, it means the Boxing Day. So that day became know as Boxing Day.
c) A present for the workers:
- Many poor workers had to work on Christmas Day. So they took the following day off to visit their families. When they left, their employers would present them with Christmas box.
- During the late 18th century, Lords and Ladies would "box up" their leftover food or gifts and distribute them the day after Christmas to tenants who lived and worked on their lands.
d) And the tradition still continues today ...
- The tradition of giving money to workers still continues today.
- It is customary that householders give small gifts or monetary tips to regular visiting people (the milkman, dustman, paper boy, etc.)
- And in some work places, employers give a Christmas bonus to employees.