Today 26 December, the day after Christmas Day which is called Boxing Day, also known in Western Christianity as St Stephen’s Day. Stephen was the first Christian to become a martyr (proto martyr) after being executed for his belief in Christ’s mission.
There are several meanings to Boxing Day with no real definitive meaning. In times past, church alms (charity)boxes were opened and the contents given to the poor of the parish to celebrate the feast day of St Stephen. This custom turned into the giving of Christmas boxes, which contained gifts of food, money or other items to household servants and then to public tradesmen, such as postmen and dustman (garbage collectors) for services rendered during the year. The 26th was also the first day of work after Christmas Day and still is for many throughout the world. Indeed our son James, who contributes to this blog, had to attend his work place on Boxing day to be on call to provide emergency IT support for customers/clients.
in the Middle Ages (5th-15th centuries), artisan shops kept Christmas boxes, which were mainly made up of clay. The owner of the shop would deposit and save a certain amount each day during the year. On the 26th of December each year, he would break open this box and equally distribute the savings among his shop workers, the first type of work bonus system.
Even though Boxing Day has its roots in the Middle Ages, it did not become an official holiday until the nineteenth century during the reign of Queen Victoria. The gentry (nobility and the rich) gave gifts, food etc., to their servants, sometimes in boxes to be carried back the servants families. To this day and into early new year, many companies, firms, stores etc., continue to give an end of working year salary bonus to their employees.
It was during this period that English power was at its height and the British Empire stretched from one end of the world to the other, spreading customs such as Boxing Day.
Today many shops & department stores etc., open on 26 December and offer goods on discounted sales right through January.
Boxing Day in the past
Boxing Day Sales