Boxing Day

Janelle Peregoy shares how she has begun to revive her family's custom of celebrating Boxing Day, the Second Day of Christmas.

Celebrated on the Feast of St. Stephen, Boxing Day is the Second Day of Christmas. It is celebrated in England and various Commonwealth countries, including Canada. Growing up in my family, it was normal, a byproduct of having a British grandmother. My mom hosted an annual Boxing Day open house for many years. Friends and family knew they had a standing invitation.

As a teenager, I would invite my skeptical friends over to celebrate Boxing Day. The conversation would go something like this, “Boxing? Like the sport? Do you sit around watching people hit each other on TV? That sounds awful!”

The origins of Boxing Day likely stem back to the Middle Ages. Many believe that it is a reference to the alms box for the poor that was held in the back of churches. It became customary for the alms box to be opened annually on Dec. 26 and its contents distributed among those in need.

My grandmother had always explained the holiday from the perspective of her 20th-century working-class roots. The wealthy would box up their donations and distribute them to local charities. It also became customary for tradespeople and employees to receive a bonus or “Christmas box” on the day after Christmas. Regardless of the exact origins, the celebration is rooted in almsgiving, charity and caring for others in need.

Like so many messages in mainstream culture regarding Christmas, Boxing Day has also fallen prey to commercialism. Boxing Day is now thought of similarly to Black Friday in the United States, a day for shopping and sales. This opposite association makes me terribly sad.

null

With my children, I have tried to revive the original meaning of Boxing Day. As part of the gift-giving tradition in our house, I ask my young sons to put aside a few of their new toys and gifts to donate to other children. While there is pushback on this tradition, I believe that my boys will learn to embrace a spirit of generosity. We also use Boxing Day as an opportunity to sort through clothes and donate any gently-used items that can be shared with other families.

This year, I am also hoping to bring back my family’s tradition of hosting a gathering on Boxing Day. We will enjoy a celebration of our community and share in some (more) good food. The twist? In lieu of any sort of gift exchange, I will request that attendees donate to a charity combatting homelessness and hunger in our local area.

Click to tweet:
In recognizing the experience of the Holy Family, I pray that we are attentive to reality and circumstances of the holy families among us. #CatholicMom

Artist and iconographer Kelly Latimore continues to stun me with contemporary interpretations of the holy among us. His Tent City Nativity is a particularly searing image of the Holy Family resting among a homeless encampment outside of a seemingly thriving city. I welcome all of us to contemplate the Holy Family—far away from home and forced away from a comfortable space in which a young mother could give birth. This is the Incarnation. This is our shared Christian story.

In recognizing the experience of the Holy Family, I pray that we are attentive to reality and circumstances of the holy families among us. May we serve our brothers and sisters throughout this Christmas season.

null