by Danelle Cloutier

From Giving to Getting

Although the origins of Boxing Day are unclear, one thing is certain—the day never used to involve waking up at 5 a.m. and heading to the mall for door crashers. Some believe the name came about because servants worked hard, especially through the Christmas season, and their masters gave them gifts, known as Christmas boxes, the day after Christmas as an appreciation of their work. Some say the day got its name because churches collected money for the poor on Christmas day.

In Ireland, the day is known as St. Stephen’s Day or Day of the Wren, named after the first Christian martyr, who was stoned to death. Legend has it that a wren alerted St. Stephen’s enemies of his whereabouts, which led to his death.

The tradition on this day is for mummers to hunt a wren and put it on top of a decorated pole. Today the wren is an effigy that’s usually drawn on paper or carved from wood and attached to a stick.

In Africa, December 26 was renamed as The Day of Goodwill in 1994 to remove ties to the continent’s colonial past. The holiday is usually spent at the beach, recovering from Christmas or practicing goodwill.

Overtime the holiday began to be associated with leisure; families would go on day trips for family-oriented activities. In the last few decades shopping on Boxing Day has become a popular way to spend the day.