Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Christmas trivia - Boxing Day

The last one in this series - I have enjoyed bringing these posts to you again this year - slowly over the last few weeks I have become engrossed in the traditions and history of this time of year.  I hope you are all having a wonderful day with your family today.

In English-speaking countries, the day following Christmas Day is called 'Boxing Day'. This word comes from the custom which started in the Middle Ages around 800 years ago: churches would open their 'alms boxe' (boxes in which people had placed gifts of money) and distribute the contents to poor people in the neighbourhood on the day after Christmas. The tradition continues today - small gifts are often given to delivery workers such as postal staff and children who deliver newspapers.

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