Talk:Boxing Day
From Academic Kids
"In Ireland the 26th is known as St Stephen's Day". This is misleading: As stated correctly in the article Saint Stephen, his feast is on the 26th in the West in general, even in some Lutheran churches.
S.
Certainly St Stephen's day is a fixed date of 26th December. I thought Boxing Day was always the 26th. The origins of the name have a number of Urban legend associated but the tradition of giving to servants is an accepted fact. Because in older days there were no holidays particularly for servants I suggest that Boxing Day is actually a fixed date. Rjstott
- Boxing Day itself is on a fixed day, but -- if the 26th is on a weekend -- the public holiday for it occurs on the first working day following the 26th. A bit of a fine distinction, but that's how it works here in Canada, anyway. -- Paul Drye
- You are right for the UK also, most people celebrate Boxing Day on December 26 if it falls on a Sunday. Some Christians don't due to the clash with their Sabbath. However, Boxing Day is a secular celebration (as is evidenced by the people who celebrate it), not a Christian one, so I think the general wisdom should win out in terms of dating, I have made a note on the beliefs of Christians in the article.Rje 15:03, 16 Dec 2004 (UTC)
- Unless, of course, Christmas and Boxing Day both fall on weekend days - in which case the Boxing Day Holiday is the 2nd day after the weekend (Christmas Day Holiday being the first). Eg. This year's Christmas:
- Sat Dec 25 (weekend day)
- Sun Dec 26 (weekend day)
- Mon Dec 27 (holiday)
- Tue Dec 28 (holiday)
- Wed Dec 29
- Thu Dec 30
- Fri Dec 31
- Sat Jan 1 (weekend day)
- Sun Jan 2 (weekend day)
- Mon Jan 3 (holiday)
- -- Chuq 21:18, 16 Dec 2004 (UTC)
- Unless, of course, Christmas and Boxing Day both fall on weekend days - in which case the Boxing Day Holiday is the 2nd day after the weekend (Christmas Day Holiday being the first). Eg. This year's Christmas:
That's how it is in the UK too. I'll edit the article. -- Derek Ross
- I heard it was because, in Victorian times, one spent Christmas with one's family, then went out on Boxing Day to visit one's friends and give them presents. I suppose this explanation somewhat fits with the giving servant's presents one. -- SJK
Ah, User:Jess Cully had it right. In my Commonwealth country (Bermuda), Boxing Day itself is always on the 26th - the day off work associated with it may move to the day following (just as if November 11th - or any other holiday on a fixed calendar day - is on a Sunday, people get the following Monday off), but Boxing Day stays on the day after Christmas. The same seems to be true in the rest (Canada above, and the UK, from Cully's comments). Noel (talk) 12:14, 10 Dec 2004 (UTC)
Football or Soccer
The article makes mention of Boxing Day as a day of sport, and states football and horseracing as the most common. I'm just wondering if football in this context means American football or soccer, since this holiday is observed primarily in places where soccer is called football. I just thought that needs some clarification. :) Cookiecaper 19:42, 27 Dec 2004 (UTC)
