We have tomorrow as a holiday as well...

[p_p_man]

We call it Boxing Day because (depending on which rumour you listen to) it's the day when...

a) All the boxes that presents come in are thrown away
b) It used to be the day when bare knuckle boxing took place all over England. No rules. No gloves. No rounds. The winner was the man still standing at the end of a bout.

I believe the second version.

Anyone else have a holiday on the 26th?

 

[MissTaken]

Not here, but whatever the reason for the holiday, we need a second day to recuperate from Christmas day?

I was thinking last night and meant to contact some of our English friends. I wonder if Christmas is so over done across the rolling sea? (I am not complaining. I love it.) I was just curious.

Then, perhaps it is just me that is overdoing it!

Enjoy your holidays....both of them, pp man!

 

[Cheyenne]

Yes, we do. It is called the "after Christmas sales" day.

All sane people take the day off from work and fight the crowds early in the morning to stock up on half priced wrapping paper and Christmas cards for next year. Not to mention ornaments and other holiday items. Wouldn't miss it for the world.

 

[littleroundman]

We celebrate Boxing Day here as well.

The greater majority of the population has the holiday, although in the past few years some of the states have allowed retailers to open, and it's become the first day of the post Christmas sales.

The tradition actually comes from the days when the gentry would visit the workers on their estates, and present them with boxed gifts, usually foodstuffs, etc., Nintendos and Playstations being a tad thin on the ground back then.

 

[Todd]

Boxing day in canada on the 26th

I think all the british colonies share the Boxing day hollidaze

 

[p_p_man]

Boxing day in canada on the 26th

I think all the british colonies share the Boxing day hollidaze

Yep you're probably right. 'Though I think nowadays they're known as Commonwealth countries.

I won't tell the others if you don't...

 

[Weird Harold]

We call it Boxing Day because (depending on which rumour you listen to) it's the day when...

a) All the boxes that presents come in are thrown away
b) It used to be the day when bare knuckle boxing took place all over England. No rules. No gloves. No rounds. The winner was the man still standing at the end of a bout.

I believe the second version.

Anyone else have a holiday on the 26th?

According to http://www.snopes2.com/holidays/christmas/boxing.htm both of these are false.

They give several possible origins on that page.

The one I persoanlly believe is that the day after Christmas is when the "poor boxes" were opened and the alms donated on Christmas day were distributed to the poor.

Boxing Day is also known as "Saint Stephan's Day"

 

[koalabear]

Her it is called "Oh my God look at all the sales!" But how do I get rid of all this wrapping paper."

 

[Todd]

Yep you're probably right. 'Though I think nowadays they're known as Commonwealth countries.

I won't tell the others if you don't...

If we are the common wealth why is the canadaian dollar more worthless than the russian rupie?

 

[p_p_man]

Her it is called "Oh my God look at all the sales!" But how do I get rid of all this wrapping paper."

Colloquially we call it the "Thank God that's all over for another year" day.

 

[T.H. Oughts]

Opps, I didn't see this thread,lol

 

[xzchief]

We call it Boxing Day because (depending on which rumour you listen to) it's the day when...

You have a holiday in honor of Mike Tyson?

 

[SexuallyGifted]

It's my oldest son's birthday.

 

[OUTSIDER]

I love boxing day better than xmas day....why you ask well I'll tell ya, on boxing day we have cold turkey with mash potatos and every known type of pickle piled on your plate.


My favourite meal of the whole year

 

[p_p_man]

I love boxing day better than xmas day....why you ask well I'll tell ya, on boxing day we have cold turkey with mash potatos and every known type of pickle piled on your plate.


My favourite meal of the whole year

Yeah. Me too. It always feels more like a holiday to me.

And like you I have the cold cuts, cheeses, pickles and snacking all day...

 

[pabloback]

boxing day was the traditional day for the gentry to wait on their servants . they gave them their presents in a "box"

it is also the day for cold meats and for all the left over vegetables to fried up into the most exotic of dishes ..........bubble and squeak