The twelve posts of Christmas...day eight. There is no boxing on Boxing Day.

When I was a lad, I would wonder why Boxing Day was called Boxing Day? 

No one in my family had an answer to it. 

I came to what I thought was a logical conclusion at the time that it must be named after the sport of boxing. But I also wondered why it was that on Boxing Day there was actually no boxing on the television. Not only that, but I would just be laughed at if I asked what time the boxing was on.

Then one day at senior school, in England a Secondary Modern, I was in the library, but not because as a young teenager I had any great interest in books at that age. No, the librarian was a rather attractive German lady, who had short blond hair which may or may not have been natural. She also wore short dresses, the mini skirt being quite popular back then. 

The library was often quite busy when she was on duty. 

On this day, I plucked up the courage to ask her the Christmas question that had been on my mind. Well, it was on my mind every Christmastime. 

The conversation went something like this.

“Miss, can you tell me why Boxing Day is called Boxing Day?”

She gave a friendly smile, got up out of her chair and said, “follow me.”

How could I refuse?

We went to the part of the library that housed the encyclopedias, or the big books as we called them. Back then, the library, and its encyclopedia section were the internet of the day. They went from A to Z, and just about covered everything.

She looked along the row of big books, and then took one of them off the shelf. 

After a few minutes, by which time I had probably forgotten what I had asked her, she handed me the book and with a slight accent said.

“There you are, this will tell you, the meaning of Boxing Day.”

I finally knew. 

Today it takes a quick search on the web, and you can find out more or less anything in a fraction of the time. 

Here's one answer.

Boxing Day: How did it get its name?

The name comes from a time during Queen Victoria's reign when the rich used to box up gifts to give to the poor.

Boxing Day was traditionally a day off for servants—a day when they received a special Christmas box from their masters.

The servants would also go home on Boxing Day to give Christmas boxes to their families.

Why is it called Boxing Day?

Thanks to the attractive librarian, I could now tell everyone else the meaning of Boxing Day. The reply that I would get from adults though was along the lines of “who do you think you are, Einstein? You're getting too clever by half…”

Or clever clogs. Boxing Day, it's a day when you should know your place.

Thanks for reading, and Merry Christmas!