In England it's bigger than Christmas, yet widely ignored as a "holiday" in the United States. What exactly is Boxing Day?
I quote from Wikipedia:
Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated after Christmas Day, occurring on the second day of Christmastide (26 December). Boxing Day was once a day to donate gifts to those in need, but it has evolved to become a part of Christmas festivities, with many people choosing to shop for deals on Boxing Day. It originated in the United Kingdom and is celebrated in several Commonwealth nations. The attached bank holiday or public holiday may take place on 27 or 28 December if necessary to ensure it falls on a weekday. Boxing Day is also concurrent with the Christian festival Saint Stephen's Day.
In parts of Europe, such as Catalonia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Romania, Sweden, Belgium, Norway, Latvia and the Republic of Ireland, 26 December is Saint Stephen's Day, which is considered the second day of Christmas.
Etymology:
There are competing theories for the origins of the term, none of which is definitive.
The European tradition of giving money and other gifts to those in need, or in service positions, has been dated to the Middle Ages, but the exact origin is unknown; it may refer to the alms box placed in the narthex of Christian churches to collect donations for the poor. The tradition may come from a custom in the late Roman and early Christian era, wherein alms boxes placed in churches were used to collect special offerings tied to the Feast of Saint Stephen, which, in the Western Christian Churches, falls on the same day as Boxing Day, the second day of Christmastide. On this day, it is customary in some localities for the alms boxes to be opened and distributed to the poor.
The Oxford English Dictionary gives the earliest attestation from Britain in 1743, defining it as "the day after Christmas day", and saying "traditionally on this day tradespeople, employees, etc., would receive presents or gratuities (a "Christmas box") from their customers or employers."
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.
In Britain, it was a custom for tradesmen to collect "Christmas boxes" of money or presents on the first weekday after Christmas as thanks for good service throughout the year. This is mentioned in Samuel Pepys' diary entry for 19 December 1663. This custom is linked to an older British tradition in which the servants of the wealthy were allowed the next day to visit their families since they would have had to serve their masters on Christmas Day. The employers would give each servant a box to take home containing gifts, bonuses, and sometimes leftover food. Until the late 20th century, there continued to be a tradition among many in the UK to give a Christmas gift, usually cash, to vendors, although not on Boxing Day, as many would not work on that day.
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I became acquainted with Boxing Day as a young missionary serving in England in 1967-69, for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We found it was a marvelous time to knock on doors in our neighborhood, and we often found men at home with their families in a relaxed and joyful setting. It was a happy time for all concerned, especially us. We were the recipients (and sometimes the givers) of unexpected gifts from those we contacted. Everyone just seemed friendlier and more welcoming.
Christmas is historically a wonderful time in general. However, for those who are suffering it is a sacred opportunity for those who have to give to those who do not. Everyone seems more inclined to look to the needs of others outside themselves. It is the spirit of Christmas, indeed the spirit of Christ, that infuses each soul with a spirit of generosity and kindness.
Boxing Day seems to emulate all these best traditions, and I have always wished that in America we could ennoble the practices cites above more completely. Unfortunately, we don't have the longstanding traditions we observe in the United Kingdom. That's why, I suppose, we jettisoned the tradition of Boxing Day at some point.
When I stop to consider why we don't have more of the attitude of preserving the best of Christmas Day on every other day of the year, I must confess it's hard to implement high ideals no matter what the correlation between an elevated sense of goodness and surrendering to our baser instincts. It's just hard, isn't it, to rise above the crowd going about their selective brands of misery. We can catch a glimpse of greatness like we see embodied in Jesus Christ's life when we celebrate Christmas, but it isn't easy to maintain His high ideals on every other day of the year.
So now we stand on the threshold of another New Year that looms around the next corner next week. We can view it as another opportunity to resolve to do better in whatever ways we wish. I remember a good brother in our ward many, many years ago who was asked to talk about "New Year's Resolutions" in sacrament meeting the week after Christmas. He astoundingly took the position that such an exercise was futile and he had never engaged in such a trivial and worthless pursuit. This was a man who had emigrated from England some years before that, and had carved out a wonderful life for himself and his family as a very skilled tradesman. He caught us all off guard because his assigned topic would have suggested his assent to the premise of setting good goals for the coming year.
I have reflected this morning, all these years later, on his position. Like most Englishmen I have known, he was outspoken, assertive and not the least bit shy about sharing his headstrong opinions. The fact I am remembering so vividly what he had to say is an evidence of the impact he had on me.
So let us resolve here and today on Boxing Day that we will live better one day at a time in 2025. Let's agree that we will not make sweeping and lifelong commitments to ourselves that we may not be able to attain because they might be too grandiose or unattainable from where we stand today.
Rather, let's be generous with ourselves, relying alone upon the merits of our Savior Jesus Christ and His perfection instead. Consider these verses to refute the idea advanced by some enemies of the Church (even at this late date) that we are not Christians because we accept the Book of Mormon as the inspired word of God:
"And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.
"Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.
"And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now, behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen." (2 Nephi 31:19-21, emphasis mine).
Not only are we devoted Christians, we ARE the restored Church of Jesus Christ, the ONLY true Church with the fulness of the doctrine of Christ, the ordinances, and the approved path leading to eternal life.
It is my witness after living a long time on this blessed planet that we are led by living prophets today, President Russell M. Nelson in his 101st year being the senior Apostle among his brethren. I love them, and I love the Church they lead because it is Christ's Church on the earth today.
Let's agree, like my friend from England, that we can embrace each day, one day at a time as it presents itself to us in 2025, and not stress unduly over our goals of a lifetime that may seem unattainable today and cause us an undue burden we needn't carry all alone.