Boxingday

Traditionally, the best deals can be found on boxing day. After the holidays, webshops receive many returns. These returns are often offered with a discount.

I always call it: "The international return day."

Since 1871, England, Wales, Ireland, New Zealand and Canada have had a national holiday called Boxing Day. What makes this holiday so special? The public holiday is of British origin and falls on the same day that the Netherlands knows as the Second Christmasday. Unless Christmas falls on Saturday, Boxing Day will be moved to the Monday. If you are likely to stroll around a furniture strip in the Netherlands, you can do a lot more on Boxing Day in the Commonwealth countries. Before you get information about the interpretation of this holiday, it is interesting to think about the origin of this tradition and its original meaning.

Good King Wenceslas boxing day

Christmas and charity have been connected since time immemorial. According to tradition, the Christmas song 'Good King Wenceslas' explains how Boxing Day originated. The old name for December 26 in the Christian tradition was Saint Stephen's Day, referring to Saint Stephen who died as a martyr by stoning. The song tells the good deeds of Duke Wenceslas of Bohemia who lived from 928 to 935. On Stephen's Day the Duke looked over his vast land. In the distance he saw a poor man gathering wood in a blizzard. This pathetic scene spoke to his conscience and the Duke brought food and wine to the poor man. Although charity in the song about Duke Wenceslas occurs, it does not tell anything about a box where the products were given.

 

The Christmas package
A piece of history that seems to have set in motion the tradition of Boxing Day comes from the Anglican Church of England. During the days before Christmas, churchgoers could donate money in boxes. On Sint Stephen's Day the boxes were opened and the money was distributed among the poor. Another story tells that workers simply had to work during Christmas, they had to serve their lord during the Christmas dinner. Because of the proven service they got free the day after Christmas and a bonus from the aristocratic landlords in England. The oldest source that specifically refers to the placement of boxes by employers to employees comes from Samuel Pepys' diary and dates from 1663. History thus seems to have been created by a slowly institutionalized tradition and not by the good deed of Duke Wenceslas. The principle of this holiday is still related to charity today. Employees get a box from their boss home, similar to a Christmas package.

Old hunting traditions on Boxing Day
The aristocracy also benefited from this extra day free, a popular leisure activity was the fox hunting on horseback. Until 2004 the fox hunting was legal and this was mainly practiced by the rich. Another old hunting tradition on Boxing Day comes from Ireland. There they call this holiday Wren's Day, named after the wren. Until the twentieth century, a real wren was hunted, it was tied to a decorated pole during the parade. The procession of dressed men then collected money with it. Nowadays, the decorated pole is still present, but there is no longer hunted on the wren. Nevertheless, the Irish tradition is pleasant to attend and it will not lack alcohol.
(Source: boxing-day.nl)