I've "Googled" it the last few years, but don't think I have a good handle on it yet. What does it mean to the average Brit?
Its just the day after Christmas day and a bank holiday. The name relates to when servants and tradespeople could expect to receive boxes of presents from their employers. I think for most people its a day on which they catch up with members of the family that they didn't spend Christmas day with.
When the kids were young `uns it was Out buying batteries. Mending broken toys that had been trampled on. Stopping the kids screaming and fighting. Stopping the kids from screaming because their toys had been trampled on. Stopping the kids from screaming because the kids had been trampled on. Looking through the rubbish for bits of toys thrown out. Trying to stop the dog from eating the kids sweets. Trying to get the dog outside before it`s sick from eating the kids sweets. Looking forward to getting back to work out of the bloody way. Happy days.
I think I'm starting to get it now. It's like the day after Thanksgiving - for the shopping and the leftovers. And like News Year Day - a day we stay home with our hangovers and watch College (American) Football all day long. And it's like the day after Christmas - for the batteries and the gift cards and the notion that maybe it's time to get back to work. And it's like Labor Day - cause that's a day when my Mexican Boss has no opportunity to further convince me of his absolute ignorance. Thanks for sorting that out for me - I wish you all the best for your holiday. This year I have Boxing day off. Hope it goes better for us than for Tel!
The boxes are presents. In the olden days it was when families took their presents to their wider families...the day after xmas. I think!
You've got it Hefty, it's basically Christmas' little brother, you're most likely stuck with the same people and you've got the same food and drink but a day later and still nobody can really be arsed to do anything. The thing that Boxing day has going for it is football.
