Why is December 26 called Boxing Day?

By Dimitris Kouimtsidis 26th Aug 2021

Lots of leftover food and football today
Lots of leftover food and football today

HAPPY Boxing Day one and all!

Following a very Merry Christmas yesterday, with lots of presents and food, Nub News has been scouring the history books to find out where Boxing Day got its name from.

It is thought to date back to the Middle Ages when boxes of presents were given to servants by their masters.

This tradition also extends to just giving boxes to people in need.

The day also has religious connections and is celebrated as Saint Stephen's Day in Ireland and the Catalonia region of Spain.

There is also an element of Boxing Day that may come from a nautical tradition.

When setting sail, ships would carry a sealed box containing money for good luck.

If the voyage was a success, the box was given to a priest, opened at Christmas, and the contents then given to the poor.

Boxing Day tends to be celebrated across Europe, with many countries treating it as a second Christmas Day and is probably better known these days for Turkey sandwiches and a lot of football!

     

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