Statue of St. Stephen
Photo © Bernard Mukarubibi at SXC
Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated on the 26th of December, the day after Christmas. Only a few countries celebrate Boxing Day including Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Northern Ireland. The Republic of Ireland does not call December 26th "Boxing Day". It refers to December 26th as "St. Stephen's Day". The origin of Boxing Day is uncertain but there are several theories as to when it first began.
One theory arises during the Middle Ages when the Roman soldiers, arriving in the region of the British Isles, brought metal boxes with them to hold their gambling winnings. As the metal boxes were plentiful during this time, the boxes ended up in churches for special collections to help the poor and needy families. The special collections were gathered and handed out to the poor on the Feast of St. Stephen which was held on December 26th of each year. St. Stephen was one of the seven early apostles or deacons chosen by the multitude of disciples and appointed by the twelve apostles to minister to the neglected, the poor and the widowed. St. Stephen was falsely accused of blasphemy, was arrested and then stoned to death. He is known for his last words of "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge" found in the King James Version of the Bible in Acts 7:60.
A second theory surrounds the wealthy families. During Christmas Day, many wealthy families held welcoming gatherings. The gatherings included food, drinks and an assortment of gifts for those who stopped in to visit. In order for a gathering to take place, the employees of the wealthy had to work on Christmas Day. The day after the gatherings, December 26th, the wealthy would hand out boxes of food and gifts to the employees as a thank you bonus for working on Christmas Day.
Queen Victoria, who reigned England during the middle 1800's, officially designated Boxing Day on December 26th. The designation was to encourage the wealthy and elite of society to reach out to those who are not as fortunate such as the poor, the needy and those who were forgotten.
The official declaration of the holiday differs between those countries that celebrate Boxing Day. In many commonwealth countries, December 26th is an official banking holiday. If December 26th falls on a Saturday or Sunday, another day of the week would be designated as the banking holiday.
In the Republic of Ireland, St. Stephen's Day is one of nine public holidays. During the public holidays, banks, post offices, most business and schools close. Pubs often remain open and sometimes have longer hours during these times.
In Canada, some provinces have officially declared Boxing Day as an official holiday with the closing of public offices and businesses. Other provinces do not recognize December 26th as an official holiday.
Even though the United Stated does not officially recognize Boxing Day as a holiday, the giving to the poor and needy are celebrated continuously throughout the holiday season. Volunteers for the Salvation Army stand with tin boxes outside stores throughout the country ringing holiday bells. As people enter or leave a store, they are able to drop coins or paper money into the boxes. The money is then used to feed, clothe and shelter the poor and needy. During the holiday season and throughout the year, people in the United States also donate through additional collections in churches. These donations are used to support local community groups such as those who care for the elderly, the poor, the abused mothers, the sick, the orphans and so forth. Additional collections are asked for those who are poor throughout the world.
Boxing Day, for some countries, is celebrated as an official holiday. However, throughout the world, giving is in the hearts of all who care and thus, is celebrated each and every day.
Collins, Ace, 2003. Stories behind the great traditions of Christmas. Published by Zondervan, Grand Rapids, MI.
Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_Day.
Citizens Information. http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/employment_rights_and_conditions/leave_and_holidays/public_holidays_in_ireland.html
Time. http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1868711,00.html