Boxing Day

We at Weird News BNI have always thought that Boxing Day was a day made for cleaning up after Christmas. It takes place on December 26th, the day after Christmas. It makes since that it was a day to box up Christmas decorations or to clean out all the empty boxes the presents were wrapped in. But, after actually studying it, it is actually based off St. Stephen’s day, which is on the same day. Although the exact reasons for the holiday is unknown it has to do with giving to the poor, who may have carried a box around on the day to hold the gifts. It would seem reasonable to pick this day as a day to give to the poor. First, in earlier societies that had stricter rules of society, one gave gifts to people below you, after giving to equals. Also St. Stephen was one of the 1st men chosen to be deacon, whose job it was to take care of poor widows. And so it would be a logical day to give to the poor.
But, if you too had no idea what the holiday is about, you are not alone, many people in countries that have Boxing Day, do not know the history of the holiday. Retailers use the day, and sometimes that week, as a way to sell Christmas items on sale and have Black Friday like discounts to increase sales. -T