Another thing that has outlived its purpose and they ought to do away with like daylight savings time. Just another excuse to give federal employees a day off.
In 1966 I was on a six week college drama class in Europe where we attended one or two plays six days a week and wrote critiques. (A wonderful experience!) We flew via Icelandic Airlines and landed in Luxembourg on Boxing Day. As I walked around the city, I saw groups of children. Each child had two sticks which they would beat together. They would go into businesses beating their sticks and chanting something, and the proprietors would give them candy to leave.
It wasn’t boxing up excess stuff to give to the poor: churches had boxes in them to collect money for the poor, and these were opened and distributed on St Stephen’s Day (26 December).
One of the things that make me mad is how retailers, online and brick & mortar, exploit Memorial Day to sell vehicles, mattresses or just about anything else. When I was younger Memorial Day was a day that towns would hold ceremonies at cemeteries and the veterans memorial parks which just about every community had somewhere in town. After that it was quiet day of enjoying the Spring weather. With very few exceptions, retailers were closed on Memorial Day.
It is called Boxing Day because, in the UK, delivery people (Dustmen, Milkmen, Paper carriers, etc.) used to go round on December 26th asking for a “box” (a monetary annual gift). I was still going in the 1940s and 1950s when I was a child and teenager in London. Noting to do with charity for the poor, I’m afraid. I suppose the name still lingers on in the Commonwealth countries.
Boxing Day? Oh right. When I was just a lad, we’d celebrate Saint Stephen’s Day by boxing. If you met a friend on a street corner, you’d beat the stuffing out of each other. It seems to have fallen out of favor. Pity.
It was also called boxing day, because servants would trade roles with their masters, and were allowed to gently “box” their master’s ears for minor errors (the errors usually were done deliberately and in jest)
Best thing about Boxing Day is the football. It is the start of the festive season that sees most Premiere League teams play about 4 games each within about 10 to 12 days. Tough on the players glorious for the fans.
J. R. R. Tolkien reported in “Letters from Father Christmas” that St. Nicholas, AKA Father Christmas in England, and the other residents of the North Pole had a big celebration on Boxing Day. A day of fun after all their hard work.
howtheduck about 1 month ago
Are there places in the United States where they have Boxing Day Sales or Boxing Day Bargoons? Where I live in Tucson, there is nothing like this.
snsurone76 about 1 month ago
“Awright, put up yer dukes!” LOL
Macushlalondra about 1 month ago
Another thing that has outlived its purpose and they ought to do away with like daylight savings time. Just another excuse to give federal employees a day off.
Uncle Kenny about 1 month ago
In 1966 I was on a six week college drama class in Europe where we attended one or two plays six days a week and wrote critiques. (A wonderful experience!) We flew via Icelandic Airlines and landed in Luxembourg on Boxing Day. As I walked around the city, I saw groups of children. Each child had two sticks which they would beat together. They would go into businesses beating their sticks and chanting something, and the proprietors would give them candy to leave.
catchup about 1 month ago
It wasn’t boxing up excess stuff to give to the poor: churches had boxes in them to collect money for the poor, and these were opened and distributed on St Stephen’s Day (26 December).
French Persons' Celebration of Peeved Harry Dinkle Premium Member about 1 month ago
More “Cousin Oliver”..
Funniguy about 1 month ago
One of the things that make me mad is how retailers, online and brick & mortar, exploit Memorial Day to sell vehicles, mattresses or just about anything else. When I was younger Memorial Day was a day that towns would hold ceremonies at cemeteries and the veterans memorial parks which just about every community had somewhere in town. After that it was quiet day of enjoying the Spring weather. With very few exceptions, retailers were closed on Memorial Day.
Linguist about 1 month ago
Happy St. Stephan’s Day! Rock On and Get Stoned!
baskate_2000 about 1 month ago
So sad.
Michael Gorman Premium Member about 1 month ago
It is called Boxing Day because, in the UK, delivery people (Dustmen, Milkmen, Paper carriers, etc.) used to go round on December 26th asking for a “box” (a monetary annual gift). I was still going in the 1940s and 1950s when I was a child and teenager in London. Noting to do with charity for the poor, I’m afraid. I suppose the name still lingers on in the Commonwealth countries.
Bob Blumenfeld about 1 month ago
I thought it went to the servants.
Redd Panda about 1 month ago
Boxing Day? Oh right. When I was just a lad, we’d celebrate Saint Stephen’s Day by boxing. If you met a friend on a street corner, you’d beat the stuffing out of each other. It seems to have fallen out of favor. Pity.
lvcanyonrunner about 1 month ago
Boxing Day is a holiday in Massachusetts as of 1996. But isn’t official enough to close up stores etc.
delennwen about 1 month ago
Is “Bargoon” a Canadian slang spelling or just a Lynn Johnston-ism?
BlitzMcD about 1 month ago
Boxing Day at the mall is always fun. That is, if you don’t mind waiting in a lot of lines!
h.v.greenman about 1 month ago
It was also called boxing day, because servants would trade roles with their masters, and were allowed to gently “box” their master’s ears for minor errors (the errors usually were done deliberately and in jest)
John Jorgensen about 1 month ago
With so many people giving and receiving gift cards these days, it’s almost a necessity.
mindjob about 1 month ago
A day of generosity would be a good holiday to have in the US
lnrokr55 about 1 month ago
Ah boxing day, I’ve always enjoyed the day after Christmas, great day to go out and window shop all day and treat ones self to fun !
sjsczurek about 1 month ago
“Bargoons.” I like that. Or does it mean “bar goons,” goons who hang out at bars?
bike2sac about 1 month ago
The Rump is going to put a tariff on Canadian Cartoons. Says it will cause more employments among American cartoonists.
desertinutah1951 about 1 month ago
I was raised in New England, now residing in SW Utah. There’s no trace of Boxing Day in either region.
Jingles about 1 month ago
i always thought it had to do with boxing matches.
gigagrouch about 1 month ago
Saint Stephen’s Day
Arghhgarrr Premium Member about 1 month ago
Best thing about Boxing Day is the football. It is the start of the festive season that sees most Premiere League teams play about 4 games each within about 10 to 12 days. Tough on the players glorious for the fans.
John_Nix_KC0KBG about 1 month ago
They have them everywhere, 50% off after Christmas sales.
CultofFarley about 1 month ago
There’s a killer on the road
She looks like a toad
Make that gate lock stay
Don’t let your children play
If John kept up his fly
Farley would still be alive
Killer on the road
dpowell1953 Premium Member about 1 month ago
Not in the U.S., Boxing Day is usually celebrated by countries that are part of the British Commonwealth. This comic strip written by a Canadian.
Billy Yank about 1 month ago
J. R. R. Tolkien reported in “Letters from Father Christmas” that St. Nicholas, AKA Father Christmas in England, and the other residents of the North Pole had a big celebration on Boxing Day. A day of fun after all their hard work.
Strawberry King about 1 month ago
Shouldn’t that be Boxing Day Knock Out?
howtheduck about 1 month ago
It’s good to see John out with April and engaged in talking to her and explaining things. That’s a very dad thing to do.
[Unnamed Reader - 14b4ce] 28 days ago
HOWARD DUCK—-when you stay at the Congress,be sure to ask for the room closes to t he nightclub