Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated the day after Christmas Day, thus being the second day of Christmastide. It originated in the United Kingdom and is celebrated in a number of countries that previously formed part of the British Empire. In parts of Europe, such as Romania, Hungary, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic, 26 December is celebrated as a second Christmas Day.
About Boxing Day in brief
Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated the day after Christmas Day, thus being the second day of Christmastide. It originated in the United Kingdom and is celebrated in a number of countries that previously formed part of the British Empire. In parts of Europe, such as Romania, Hungary, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Catalonia and Scandinavia, 26 December is celebrated as a second Christmas Day. There are competing theories for the origins of the term, none of which is definitive. The European tradition of giving money and other gifts to those in need, or in service positions, has been dated to the Middle Ages, but the exact origin is unknown. It is sometimes believed to be in reference to the Alms Box placed in the narthex of Christian churches to collect donations to the poor. Until the late 20th century there continued to be a tradition among many in the UK to give a Christmas gift, usually cash, to vendors although not on Boxing Day as many would not work on that day. In South Africa, vendors who normally have little interaction with those they serve are accustomed to knock on their doors asking for a small cash donation, in the weeks before or after Christmas. The term “Christmas box” dates back to the 17th century, and among other things meant: A present or gratuity given at Christmas: in Great Britain, usually confined to gratuities given to those who are supposed to have a vague claim upon the donor for services rendered to him as one of the general public by whom they are employed and paid, or as a customer of their legal employer; the undefined theory being that as they have done offices for this person, for which he has not directly paid them, some direct acknowledgement is becoming at Christmas.
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. If 26 December falls on a Saturday, the public holiday is on the following Monday. In Ireland, when the entire island was part of Britain, the feast day of Saint Stephen was established as a non-moveable public holiday on 26 December. Boxing Day is also Saint Stephen’s Day, a religious holiday. On these days, people who work must receive 1.gal and 12 times their salaries in lieu of work. On Boxing Day, the day is also popularly known as Boxing Day in Australia, where a public holiday in all jurisdictions except the state of South Australia is celebrated on the first day of the first week of December. If Boxing Day falls on Sunday, a compensation day is given on the next weekday. In Eastishowen, Donegal and Donegal, the name Boxing Day also means ‘Donegal Day’ and ‘Boxing Proclamation Day’ In New Zealand, Boxing day is a statutory holiday on December 26.
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This page is based on the article Boxing Day published in Wikipedia (as of Dec. 10, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
