The origins of Boxing Day - how the 26th of December became a tradition
The name ‘Boxing Day’ actually stems from the Middle Ages, where a tradition of giving Christmas boxes to less fortunate others began. the Boxing Day tradition began in the Middle Ages or even in the late Roman empire, when Christians collected money in boxes for the poor, to be opened on December 26 - the feast day that commemorates St Stephen, the first Christian Martyr. The ritual was cemented by the Victorian period, where boxes of gifts, leftover food or money were often presented to staff and tradespeople as a token of gratitude on December 26th (usually accompanied by a day off work to spend time with their respective families).
