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Here Are Some Facts You Probably Didn't Know About Boxing Day - Culture - Nairaland

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Here Are Some Facts You Probably Didn't Know About Boxing Day by Teacher1776(m): 6:39am On Dec 26, 2017
Boxing Day is traditionally observed on the first working day after Christmas. What comes to your mind when you hear of Boxing Day? How do you observer the day? What are your plans for today?
According to Wilkipedia sources,
There are competing theories for the origins of the term, none of which is definitive. [5]The Oxford English Dictionarygives the earliest attestations from Britain in the 1830s, defining it as "the first week-day after Christmas-day, observed as a holiday on which post-men, errand-boys, and servants of various kinds expect to receive a Christmas-box". [6]
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. [7]
In Britain, it was a custom for tradespeople to collect "Christmas boxes" of money or presents on the first weekday after Christmas as thanks for good service throughout the year. [8]This is mentioned in Samuel Pepys' diary entry for 19 December 1663. [9]This custom is linked to an older British tradition: since they would have to wait on their masters on Christmas Day, the servants of the wealthy were allowed the next day to visit their families. The employers would give each servant a box to take home containing gifts, bonuses, and sometimes leftover food.
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.
The European tradition, which has long included giving money and other gifts to those who were needy and in service positions, has been dated to the Middle Ages, but the exact origin is unknown. It is believed to be in reference to the Alms Box placed in areas of worship to collect donations to the poor. Also, it may come from a custom in the late Roman/early Christian era, wherein metal boxes placed outside churches were used to collect special offerings tied to the Feast of Saint Stephen, [10]which in the Western Churchfalls on the same day as Boxing Day.
Read more on this here.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_Day

Have a pleasant Boxing Day. Remember, be moderate in your consumption of alcohol. Don't drive under the influence of alcohol.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in advance.

Re: Here Are Some Facts You Probably Didn't Know About Boxing Day by festwiz(m): 6:50am On Dec 26, 2017
This is new to me to be honest. Growing up nobody tried to even explain it to us and let us throw fists in the air like Mohammed Ali.

I wonder what else was a lie growing up cry

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