Nicola here, wishing you a Happy Boxing Day! I hope that your Christmas Day brought you all the things you hoped for. Today, 26th December, is the feast of St Stephen and in some parts of the world is celebrated by eating St Stephen’s Day Pie, which is similar to cottage pie but made using the leftover turkey and ham from the Christmas Day meal. The tradition of Stephening takes place in some English villages, whereby parishoners descend on the rectory and ask for as much free bread, cheese and ale as they can drink!
The name “Boxing Day” can be traced back to the late Roman/early Christian era, when a special
collection was made in metal boxes outside churches to be given to the poor and needy. It is this idea that is thought to have inspired the carol Good King Wenceslas who, on the Feast Day of Stephen, set out through the snow with his trusty page to take food and wine to a poor peasant.
From the Middle Ages onward it became the custom to give money and other gifts in the shape of “Christmas Boxes” to servants, who were also given 26th December off to visit their families. This developed into the Victorian tradition of giving gifts to tradesmen such as the lamplighter and the postman.
These days Boxing Day is often a day for visiting the family and we have lots of relatives coming to eat with us today. A different sort of winter visitor comes to our garden too – this beautiful fieldfare, feasting on the apples in our garden!
Happy Boxing Day! I love the tradition. It's a shame that more holiday reads don't incorporate the idea in their stories. Even a brief mention. I've read many holiday stories and the day after Christmas is just another day.
I hope all of you had a lovely day yesterday.
Posted by: theo | Monday, December 26, 2011 at 07:08 AM
St. Stephen's Pie? Sounds good!
I've always known about Boxing Day, but I don't think I've ever used it in a story because my Christmas stories all seem to stop on Christmas Day. Very poor planning on my part!
Happy Boxing Day, Nicola, and I'm glad the fieldfare feasted fairly!
Posted by: Mary Jo Putney | Monday, December 26, 2011 at 07:50 AM
I think the idea of the Christmas box could definitely inspire a festive story!
Mary Jo, my mother is making St Stephen's pie today so I am looking forward to hearing what it tastes like.
Posted by: Nicola Cornick | Monday, December 26, 2011 at 08:10 AM
I have always heard about boxing day but never celebrated it here. So happy Boxing day to the ones that do.
Posted by: Quilt Lady | Monday, December 26, 2011 at 10:10 AM
We celebrated Boxing Day in Canada. Very popular.
Posted by: Ruth | Monday, December 26, 2011 at 01:40 PM
We celebrate Boxing Day here in Australia but it's mostly a day for the post-christmas shopping sales or for the cricket. Lots of families on holidays at the beach (it being summer here) will play beach cricket instead.
I did use boxing day in my Perfect Kiss book, but it was integral to the story, tying up a loose end and adding another layer of happy-ending to the story. I suspect that's why it's not often used — it needs to be related to the story.
Posted by: Anne Gracie | Monday, December 26, 2011 at 01:57 PM
Boxing Day seems to be quite a tradition around the world!
Posted by: Nicola Cornick | Wednesday, December 28, 2011 at 12:12 AM