(Untitled)

[norwaygranny]

Why is today called "Boxing Day?"

Comments

[eatsoylentgreen]

it's when the children get sick of answering questions about when they'll be getting married, and put on the boxing gloves.

[gretchencb]

Hahaha, or if they are married, questions about when they'll be having babies.

[kazzibee]

haha or if they are old, unmarried, childless and SILLY, questions about when they are going to grow up! baha!

[faerie_mistress]

One theory I've been told is that it's the day that all the presents and puddings and so on is 'boxed up' to be sent off to the husbands/ sons who are off at war.

But much older then that is the tradition of misrule, when the lords and ladies dressed up their servants in their own finery and played at kitchen maids and footmen for the day.

[snuck]

And I heard it was the day that servants got off -and were sent to their families to visit with boxed cakes and food to share.

[caughtshort]

Snopes has a very good page detailing the main gist of Boxing Day, and offers several reasons for why it's called Boxing Day.

http://www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/boxingday.asp

[_katiekaboom_]

A friend told me today that it's called that in light of the tradition of "boxing up" gifts to be distributed to the less privleged.