What is Boxing Day?

I did some research to determine what this thing we call Boxing Day is all about. And I discovered that it has absolutely nothing to do with a boxing match. I shame. I honestly thought that this was some day for a large annual boxing match for heaving weights around the world. I don’t know where I would have gotten that idea.

The real story is that back in the day an Alms Box was placed in churches for parisheners to place gifts for the poor. This box would then be opened by the priest the day after Christmas and that is how the day became known as boxing day. Another theory I discovered was that poorly paid workers were required to work on Christmas Day and when they were leaving their employers would present them with a Christmas Box. This is quite interesting, because I know many Trinis not taking no bonus after Christmas. That would infuriate Watson Duke for sure because “we wah we money now”.

So there you have it Boxing Day is actually a day for giving to the poor or giving in general. I guess I can stop looking for those tickets to that boxing match.