boxing day

[Gerianne]

This is the first time I have heard of this.
the tradition started in England.
what a nice idea for giving to others.

[monnee]

Boxing plus kick boxing does a body good!

[plennis]

It started out as a day off for the servants since they had to work on Christmas.  They got to take home left over food and were  given gifts for their family (Probably re-gifted...LOL). 

[gtdoss]

Thank you, Gerianne, for bringing up Boxing Day. I have been off-and-on wondering about this day for a long time. So I finally looked it up, thanks to your post, and found out what it actually is. I think that having a special day, as they celebrate it in the UK, to give to those less fortunate is a really good idea!

[sdenimandlace1]

I miss Boxing day, we did it when I was a kid and lived in England.

[gsdoss]

I grew up with Dad watching the Friday Night Fights

[MichelleHW101]

It is a nice idea for those perform a service that aren't on your regualr Christmas list.  It did start off around the 1830's for post-men, errand-boys, and servants of various kinds expect to receive a Christmas-box.  This box (hence Boxing day) was filled with either a gift or money.  tradesmen usually collected these things.  In South Africa (a former British colony) as recently as the 1980s, milkmen and garbage collectors, who normally had little if any interaction with those they served, were accustomed to knock on their doors asking for a "Christmas box", being a small cash donation, in the week or so before and after Christmas.  Funny how they don't do it here.