Happy Boxing Day

Wendall -- every other Thursday

My husband is English, so he is thoroughly horrified that most Americans have to return to work on Boxing Day.

 

The Boxing Day of Christmas past.

In the UK, in many current or former Commonwealth countries, and in the opinion of said husband, December 26, Boxing Day (or the next day after Christmas that’s not a Sunday), is a sacred bank holiday. No working allowed.

 

Since Boxing Day is celebrated in Scotland, New Zealand, and Singapore, it’s quite familiar to several of my Murder is Everywhere compatriots, but for those of you, like myself, who didn’t grow up well-versed in the holiday, here’s a tiny bit of history.

 

Boxing Day, also known as St. Stephen’s Day, apparently has little to do with boxing, or the Boxer Rebellion (this was my misapprehension for years) although it is connected to many other sports—more on this below.

 

The tradition of giving gifts to the poor during this period dates back to the Middle Ages and the etymology may have begun with the idea of an alms box set out for charitable donations on the Feast of St. Stephen. Samuel Pepys discusses this tradition in a diary entry from 1663. 

 

 

The first time the actual term Boxing Day appeared, according to the OED, was in 1743. The tradition became much more codified during Queen Victoria’s reign—when the rich gave their servants, who had to work on Christmas Day, a box of gifts, gratuities, or leftover food and the “unrich” offered a “box” to anyone less fortunate.

 

Boxing Day traditions in the 20th and 21st century include fox hunting in white and red outfits, football games, and in Melbourne, a cricket match. 

 

 

The most common current tradition at the moment is, sadly, shopping.

 

So obviously not everyone has the day off. And the briefest of Google dives shows that those who work in stores on this bank holiday are only awarded extra pay if it is stipulated in their original contract. 

 

 

Of course, shopping is where those in the U.S. share in this holiday, since we have plenty of after Christmas sales, and mind boggling lines, shoving, and chaos at electronics stores, too.

 

 

Boxing Day has some significance for me, personally, since it’s anniversary of my second date with James. 

 

It also features in the finale of Cyd Redondo’s second adventure, Drowned Under, in the form of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht race, which is always held on the 26th.

 

 

If any of you are in need of post-holiday cheer, here’s a link to all of the Jeff Goldblum Curry’s PC World ads, my favorite xmas ads, ever: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4ktzkA9x3I

 

So, happy Boxing Day, however you choose to celebrate. I will not be fox hunting or shopping, but reading instead.

 

See you on the other side.

 

--Wendall