It is the day that the servants that were required for Christmas festivities were given off to spend with their families.
Learn something new, didn't you?
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That is one theory.
ReplyDeleteBut also traditional tradesmen collections and Royalty issuing charity come into play.
Church consider it both the Second day of Christmastide, and if observed traditionally it is also the Feast of St Stephen the Protomartyr (first Christian martyr, who was stoned to death about 34 AD.)
Celebrated a LOT more countries than England (just look North to Canada) and personally I have seen collections of Alms for the Poor distributed on Boxing Day.
The Day off for Servants is more a tradition on Mothering Sunday, where staff was allowed to return to their home parish as a family day off. That Holiday is Three Weeks before Easter, and has come to incorporate the essence of the American Style "Mother's Day" in current practice. Guess being so few households with staff the original use was somewhat obsolete!