ANGLOPHILES UNITED
  • HOME
  • What is an Anglophile?
  • Anglophile Pastimes
    • British Books
    • British Movies
    • British Music
  • British Culture
    • British Homes
    • British Cars
    • British Car Photo Gallery
    • British Clothing
  • British Food and Drink
    • British Food
    • Glossary of British Foods
    • Recipes
    • British Drinks
    • British Tea Customs
    • Recipe for Traditional British Tea
  • British Mass Media
    • British Radio
    • Historical British Radio Broadcasts
    • British Television
    • British Newspapers
    • BBC News Feed
  • British Sports
  • The Royals
  • Britain in *YOUR* town
  • Visit Britain
    • Best Times to Visit Britain
    • When to Find Best Airfares
    • Maps
    • Visit England
  • Sweepstakes
  • About
    • Who I am
    • Disclosures
    • Adverting rates
  • CHAT FORUM
  • BRIT BLOG TODAY

BOXING DAY: What the heck is it?

12/26/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Happy Boxing Day to those across the pond! 

For Anglophiles outside the UK who are unfamiliar with Boxing Day, a quick primer is in order.  Boxing Day, December 26, the day after Christmas, is now a bank holiday (i.e., “public” holiday) in Britain, but its roots go back to at least to the 17th century.  One of the first known references to Boxing Day was found in a Samuel Pepys’ journal entry, penned in the late 1600s, where Pepys mentions giving "Christmas boxes" to servants.  (Pepys was a member of Parliament and famed diarist.)  At that time, the “haves” distributed boxes of coins, food, and used clothing to the “have nots,” which included the poor and servants. 

By the mid-19th century, Queen Victoria officially declared the day after Christmas a holiday.  In those Victorian times, Boxing Day was observed more as a servants’ holiday.  Domestics, after having spent Christmas Day catering to their masters, got leave the following day to visit their families (if the family lived nearby, that is).  Typically, families gave servants a box containing money, food, and gifts to take home.  With the servants gone, the wealthy contented themselves with Christmas-dinner leftovers.  Sometimes the “upstairs” families arranged special treats or a party on Boxing Day for the servants—or even a servant’s ball.  Landowners commonly sent game to their tenants and provided treats at the parish church.  Meanwhile, city dwellers tipped the poor blokes who kept the city running smoothly: lamplighters, delivery boys, postmen, and various tradesmen. 

And what has Boxing Day morphed into in modern times?  A day of rest, of course, but a few activities are particularly popular.  Historically, in modern times, the hoards shop on Boxing Day—with stores offering huge discounts.  Indeed, the day is Britain’s premier shopping day, equivalent to the day after Thanksgiving in the US.  Nowadays one even hears of “Boxing Week” in the retail sector.

Sports are also a big Boxing Day draw.  The Premier League, Scottish Premier League, Irish Premier League, and rugby leagues engage in football (soccer) and rugby matches.  The prestigious King George VI Chase (horse race) is run on Boxing Day.  Also popular, traditionally, has been mounted fox hunting.  The Hunting Act of 2004 put the kibosh on such fox hunting, though I’m not sure how effective the prohibition has been.  Politically correct hunters nowadays engage in drag hunting instead of tracking down live fox.  (A scent of aniseed oils and animal urine, applied to a rag, is dragged along the ground for a set distance, which includes a finish line.  Hunters and foxhounds follow the scent rather than live foxes.)  And finally, for Britons with a healthy bent, taking a long hike (rambling) is often a Boxing Day tradition.    

And now, dear Anglophiles, you're in the know about Boxing Day!


Go to: BRITISH HOMES
Go to: BRITISH FOODS
Go to: BRITISH SPORTS
Go to: HOMEPAGE

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Zella

    I am a writer, artist, and incurable Anglophile! Thank you for reading my blog, and please feel free to join my discussions about Britain.  I look forward to hearing your comments and stories!

    Archives

    June 2019
    March 2019
    December 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012

    Categories

    All
    Britain In Nyc
    British Books
    British Cars
    British Clothing
    British Culture
    British Drinks
    British Food
    British History
    British Holidays
    British Homes
    British Humor
    British Language
    British Movies
    British Music
    British Radio
    British Schooling
    British Sports
    British Tea Customs
    British Television
    Contests
    Current Events
    Homepage
    The Royals
    Visit Britain
    Visit England
    Visit London
    What Is An Anglophile

BE SURE TO BOOKMARK THIS WEBSITE!
Copyright © 2012 Anglophiles United
Photos used under Creative Commons from Elsie esq., Gulltaggen, GabboT, tahnok42, idleformat, steve p2008, Visit Greenwich, kamshots, Ruth and Dave, ☺ Lee J Haywood, hartingale, Elsie esq., Monica Arellano-Ongpin, jeffwilcox, ヨシキ, christine zenino, Dominic's pics, Thomas Depenbusch, idleformat, idleformat, andreadg, heatheronhertravels, humbert15, Tilemahos_E, Samuel Mann, David Holt London, WorldIslandInfo.com, dogfrog, Rochelle, just rochelle, christine zenino, idleformat, das_sabrinchen, Tilemahos_E, Dominic's pics, DVS1mn, christine zenino, The McGee, Mr MPD, Dave Hamster, simononly, terencechisholm, Timitrius, -Bert23-, adactio, @davestone, miss_rogue, The James Kendall, alexgoodey, ahisgett, scalleja, Elsie esq., Jean-David & Anne-Laure, GabboT, thepatrick, avlxyz, Timitrius, terryballard, lizzybeans11, Linda Cronin, sisaphus, premus, Ben Sutherland, The McGee, yoppy, jeffwilcox, >littleyiye<, slgckgc, Martin Lopatka, cwasteson, Martin Pettitt, heatheronhertravels, Pam loves pie, francisco_osorio, jeffk, EEPaul, The McGee, WordRidden, Elsie esq., bkabak, Jon's pics, jeffwilcox, Deanster1983, celesteh, garryknight, yoppy, The McGee, GriffinStar7, LaBellaVida, The McGee, seymoursimages, David Holt London, Cap'n Jo, Karen Roe, Whistling in the Dark, oneillsdc5, fesek, Ronnie Macdonald, mikelachance816, net_efekt, Hitesh Shah, Justin and Elise, allisonkpark, ChairWomanMay, marksteelenz, AdrianPatrickArtist, craigemorsels, CircaSassy, DaveBleasdale, UK in Italy, garryknight, Matt McGee, cervus, quinet, conner395, See-ming Lee 李思明 SML, Lauriittaaaa, Moto@Club4AG, s.yume, aimeeorleans, johnwilson1969, Train Chartering & Private Rail Cars, Abigail Silvester, Dave Catchpole, Siebbi, Nina Yasmine, Charlie Phillips, psd, artorusrex, Wonderlane, garryknight, Sarah G..., HerryLawford, Thiago Avancini, premii, TheBusyBrain, The Ancient Brit., crdotx, Ben Sutherland, StartAgain, koiart71, Luigi Crespo Photography, Keith Laverack, BiblioArchives / LibraryArchives, Jim, the Photographer, seattlegeekly, dnisbet, teddyb, ☺ Lee J Haywood, Charlie Phillips, InSapphoWeTrust, carolynwakefield, Leonard Bentley, Taylor Burnes, SteveR-, Logan Brumm Photography and Design, johanoomen, The Moonstone Archive, sfmission.com, scalleja, David Jones, vagueonthehow, Deanster1983, Ankur's, amandabhslater, Tomi Tapio, LunaMoth116, Erik Charlton, Looking Glass, KJGarbutt, ginnerobot, lilivanili, sankarshan, jans canon, Daniel Kruczynski, The Integer Club, Ronnie Macdonald, Mathematical Association of America, Nina Matthews Photography, Martin Pettitt, Comrade Foot, Upsilon Andromedae, CousinJacob, Bernt Rostad, riptheskull, Visentico / Sento, Gruenemann, NYSartorialist (Michael Cress Photography), ozz314, jimmyharris, bobgo29, jdeeringdavis, loop_oh, asw909, Andy G, dboy, joey.parsons, Mick E. Talbot, Ben Sutherland, LoopZilla, shizhao, SmithGreg, grahamc99, whatleydude, Valerie Everett, UK in France, Adair733, specialoperations, avlxyz, Ben Sutherland, timparkinson, adactio, lorentey, naz66, jamieanne, Ben Sutherland, neiljs, B. W. Townsend, lisby1, London OE, Lana_aka_BADGRL, Ben Sutherland, richard winchell, MoBikeFed, cuatrok77, Matthew Fang, P - A - S - T, plusgood, conner395, The hills are alive (Taking time off....), Comrade Foot, El Bibliomata, stev.ie, ironix, Bernt Rostad, mbevis, Aine D, Dave_B_, psd, roberthuffstutter, GriffinStar7, D H Wright, Bert Kaufmann, jack_spellingbacon, wlcutler, photographerglen, oskarlin, hlkljgk, GriffinStar7, Berenice Decados, tsaiproject, State Records NSW, david_shankbone, Aero Icarus, Ben Sutherland, Charlie Brewer, Rev Stan, .Martin., Steve & Jemma Copley, jeffwilcox, Luz Adriana Villa A., Digiart2001 | jason.kuffer, Miia Ranta, KonradLindenberg, Yogendra174, Idhren, bulliver, deflam, philwirks