Has anyone else noticed that it's NOT Boxing Day?

[Buenchico]

When I first saw that stores were advertising sales (or closures) for today as on 'Boxing Day', I was surprised. When I found that our local rail and bus company were stating that there would be no services on "26 December (Boxing Day)" I was amazed. When I looked in the Radio Times, and saw that today was marked as "Boxing Day" I was disbelieving!

I began to distrust my memory. Surely, I thought, Boxing Day can't fall on a Sunday? Didn't I remember, when I was a child, seeing Sunday 26 December shown as 'Christmas Sunday' in the Radio Times, with Monday 27 December marked as 'Boxing Day'. I thought my little grey cells were finally failing me but having asked around my equally (or even more) antiquated friends, I find that I'm correct. Further the Oxford English Dictionary agrees with us all. (Boxing Day is the "first WEEKDAY after Christmas").

So when did the rule change? Or is it just that traders, transport operators, and countless others are now ignorant of traditions which have lasted for centuries?

BOXING DAY IS TOMORROW!!!

(OK, rant over!!!)

[boxtops]

Is it, though? The two Bank holidays replacing Christmas Day and Boxing Day are Monday and Tuesday.... this has really confused me this year. I would say that the Boxing Day holiday is on TUESDAY.

[cazzz1975]

oh dear..I do dislike bank holidays

[Buenchico]

I'll concede that the Boxing Day HOLIDAY is on Tuesday, Boxtops, but I'm sticking with tomorrow for Boxing Day itself ;-)

[boxtops]

The Boxing Day dip in the sea in Dover here was today..............

[mumof3angels]

My calendar states that today is boxing day and that tomorrow is christmas day holiday and tuesday is boxing day holiday. As far as I'm concerned is just means that christmas is lasting that little bit longer & mr mum has a couple of extra days off!

[wolf63]

Go and start some sort of petition, this is surely a government plan to avoid something or other.

My brain is mush today - can't you repost this another day and I may be able to think of something humorous to say.

Susan

[dotty.]

I have worked today and I am being paid as a Boxing Day shift and so keep your nose out Chris lol : )

[ChuckFickens]

Oh crap....

I'm not even 40 and I agree Chris, Monday is boxing day.

[Buenchico]

Yea, Chuck!
Pedants unite!

[chelle7272]

//Oh crap.... I'm not even 40 and I agree Chris, Monday is boxing day. //

Snap :-/

[Buenchico]

Welcome to the club, Chelle7272 ;-)

[dotty.]

sssshhhh,

[jno]

my OED says the day after Christmas ("strictly, the first weekday"); Chambers says it's the day after Christmas, but may be celebrated on the first weekday.

That suggests it might be today, the day after Christmas; Monday, the first weekday; or bank holiday Tuesday (since bank holiday Monday is for Christmas).

This may be vital if you actually give Christmas boxes to your servants on Boxing Day; otherwise, I wouldn't worry about it.

[Buenchico]

I give my butler his gift on Christmas Day, Jno. The other gifts are distributed among my staff by the Housekeeper, at her discretion, as I wouldn't demean myself by associating with them ;-)

[jno]

heavens above, Chris, the whole point is that you only exchange gifts with equals on Christmas Day; Boxing Day is for bestowing largesse on subordinates.

[Buenchico]

Yes, Jno, I understand the principles but (although I don't want it bandied around) I actually regard my butler as an equal. Well, I call him a butler but he's more of a "gentleman's gentlemen" really (both in the way the P G Wodehouse would have meant it and in the way that Stephen Fry might understand that term!)
;-)

[fairycakes69]

Well now my kids are adults I have re-named Boxing day in our house to Hangover Day, where you stay in bed as long as possible, (though you are allowed to go to kitchen if you forget to put pain killers beside your bed) and when you do get up you stay in your PJ's as long as possible, you eat only crap, so no cooking, drink lots of irn bru (yes I'm scottish, best hangover cure ever )and watch lots of tv. Works for me.

[jno]

you regard your valet as an equal, Chris? Don't forget that he at least has a job!