People who grew up in Ireland calling it Boxing Day?

The Scientician

Is it Boxing Day in some part of the country? I know a few Irish people who refer to it as that and not St. Stephen's Day.

apoch632

Some parts of Donegal would

pragmatic1

Boxing day in Donegal.

seanybiker

Day after Christmas works for me

Spunge

only 364 more days till christmas. woot.

Liam Byrne

pragmatic1 wrote: »

Boxing day in Donegal.

How so?

It's a UK term.

Pherekydes

The Scientician wrote: »

Is it Boxing Day in some part of the country? I know a few Irish people who refer to it as that and not St. Stephen's Day.

St Stephen's an Irish saint?

I think we should change it to "The Big Sale Day".

My name is URL

Who gives a toss what it's called? At the end of the day it's almost the 27th December

Liam Byrne

7Sins wrote: »

So what boxing is on then?

An episode of EastEnders?

Chuck Stone

Grew up in Norn Iron and boxing day is the term that most folks use up there - even Catholics who don't really identify with the UK.

Maybe the question should be why do most Irish call it St Stephen's day!

W.Shakes-Beer

I always just called it "My" Day.

L.Jenkins

I've grown up knowing the 26th as both Stevens and boxing day. I think boxing day is the British term for it.

connundrum

Wiki 'Boxing Day is traditionally a day following Christmas when wealthy people in the United Kingdom would give a box containing a gift to their servants.'

Few servants left in Donegal so.

Liam Byrne

dolanbaker wrote: »

Maybe the question should be why do most Irish call it St Stephen's day!

Just a thought, but maybe - just maybe - because that's what it is ?

We're hardly going to call it St Patrick's Day, now are we ?

crazygeryy

it should be called "why the **** did I eat so much yesterday" day.

cocoshovel

Who cares? I didnt even remember what people call it until someone mentioned it about an hour ago online. Hell, I hardly even remember what day it is around this time of the year.

As mentioned earlier "the day after christmas" works fine.

LordSutch

Why is it Called Boxing Day?

Arguments abound on the origins of the name Boxing Day.

* A ‘Christmas Box’ in Britain & Ireland (was) a name for a Christmas present.

* Boxing Day was a day off for servants and when they received a ‘Christmas Box’ from the master. The servants would also go home to give ‘Christmas Boxes’ to their families.

* A box to collect money for the poor was placed in Churches on Christmas day then opened the next day.

* Great sailing ships when setting sail would have a sealed box containing money on board for good luck. If the voyage were a success the box was given to a priest, opened at Christmas and the contents given to the poor.

I like the meaning behind the name 'Boxing day', and I guess if you asked most of the people on the street they wouldn't have a clue who St Stephen was or where & when he lived, so its Boxing day for me . . .

Quazzie

I always thought it was a Brit or West Brit thing to say. In Ireland it's called St Stephen's day the same way March 17th is St Patrick's day. Anyone who tries to claim different is just a 'rebel' or a troll.

44leto

For me it has always been Arnotts sales day. I kit myself out for the year in the sale, but not today, I just didn't seem to get the bargains and the prices I thought seemed higher then previous years.

Probably trying to recoup the poor xmas sales.

ejmaztec

I thought it was the day that the servants used to get a good punching to keep them in their place.

44leto

ejmaztec wrote: »

I thought it was the day that the servants used to get a good punching to keep them in their place.

:rolleyes: That sir is everyday in my abode, what type of house are you running.

mathepac

cocoshovel wrote: »

...
As mentioned earlier "the day after christmas" works fine.

There are 12 days in Christmas so the day after Christmas is January 7th so your fuzzy logic does not compute.

darragh666

Until I was 15/16 I spent my Christmas' in Belfast and would often call it boxing day to the protests of my friends. Now I say St Stephens day if I ever refer to the day at all.

Richard

Liam Byrne wrote: »

Interesting.....it appears that Boxing Day doesn't even exist in Northern Ireland

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_Holidays_Act_1871

You're right, legally it's St Stephen's Day in NI, but pretty much everyone calls it Boxing Day.

I knew 26th December was the feast of St Stephen, but didn't know it was primarily referred to as St Stephen's Day in the South until I moved there.

Edit: actually, the 1871 act was repealed and in the new act, the 26th December is still a Bank Holiday, but isn't given a name - if I understand the legislation correctly.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1971/80

Jonah42

I'm from Donegal and have always called it Boxing day. Don't really know why...

Professey Chin

Spunge wrote: »

only 364 more days till christmas. woot.

..........leap year?

Vivara

Spunge wrote: »

only 364 more days till christmas. woot.

Do you mean until Christmas Day? Because it's still Christmas, and will be for another ten days.

V.

EDIT:

mathepac wrote: »

There are 12 days in Christmas so the day after Christmas is January 7th so your fuzzy logic does not compute.

I see you've made a similar point, thank God!

TheUsual

It's called "Boxing Day" because you are forced to watch Eastenders.

And they are always boxing each others heads in.

cloneslad

The majority of my friends call it boxing day, as do I. Even friends who consider thmselves to have strong republican ideas.

It's not an anti Irish thing by the british, it's just what the day is called there (and in other commonwealth countries) so we shouldn't be offended by it. We call it boxing day because we were brought up watching BBC, UTV and Channel 4, the Irish stations used to have a pretty poor signal (still do if you don't have saorview)

mistermouse

Parts of Donegal realistically could only receive BBC and ITV up until the early 80's, I remember not seeing RTE til around then at all. I think Channel 4 came to town before RTE

Come to think of it, TV was better then. Wonder if the folks had to pay the License Fee (Tax) to RTE anyway back then.

I'd gladly give up being able to receive RTE and not have to pay that tax now. It shouldn't be taxed either from next year if you can't receive it due to not having a Saorview Box.

Cicero

Up to the 1990s, St Stephens day was widely used....but even by then, with the influence of uk tv- Namely BBC 1, 2 ITV in the 70s and 80s, - many were starting to use the term Boxing day. RTE and the Irish news media would only ever refer to it as St Stephens day.

Zebra3

As a non-religious person, I call it the 26th of December.

The Scientician

Zebra3 wrote: »

As a non-religious person, I call it the 26th of December.

Well done, here's a cookie.

Oranage2

I call it yesterday.

Duffy the Vampire Slayer

Wrenboys day.

A Dub in Glasgo

I still call it St. Stephen's Day and I get funny looks when I say it over here. I usually relent and say the day after Christmas Day

pavcro10

I use both. It's probably been answered already. But why is it called boxing day anyway?

Happy Monday

It amuses me to see people in Ireland get upset at this sort of thing.

Many of the traditions we observe at this time of year come from across the water - it was Dickens' Christmas Carol that re-popularised the season into a time of festive cheer with seasonal food and so on.

So much of what we observe culturally comes from the UK and yet we try to condemn those who would say Boxing Day.

I mean how many people watched TG4 and trad music on Christmas Day and how many watched BBC/ITV/Sky?

Either one does for me.

TanG411

I call it Boxing Day due to watching British channels on TV. It became a habit and has now stuck with me.

SharpshooterTom

It's Boxing Day in other parts of the world e.g. Canada and Australia too. No big deal really.

Johnny Foreigner

I am London-Irish, born in London to Irish parents. When living in London my parents always called the 26th December Boxing Day. But when they went home they called it St. Stephens Day. I have always done the same. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Personally I don't take offence if people call it Boxing Day, it does not matter to me, but when in Ireland I always call it St Stephens Day, as I would not wish to offend the Irish that are traditional. I think its nice that people still wish to procure Irish traditions, as these days Ireland has become more European and multi cultural. I feel that the influences of the UK and Europe have diluted Ireland's identity, so its important we remember our traditions.

Cee-Jay-Cee

I call it Boxing day (I'm from donegal) Its what i've always called it since i can remember. My grandparents were from NI and maybe it came down from there with them, dunno and dont care.

getz

st stephens day 26th of december in the west on the later gregorian calandar ,the 27th of december for the orthodox eastern churches on the older julian calandar,

woodoo

I call it boxing day. Always have and always will. I'm Irish too.

Boxing day rolls of the tongue better.

BraziliaNZ

is Boxing day here in UK. But seriously why would anyone care?!

hondasam

I don't know anyone who says Boxing day apart from myself and I'm usually corrected and told it's St Stephen's day in Ireland.

Of topic how many posters watched the Queens speech on Christmas day?

Thumpette

I'm from West Donegal and have always called it Boxing day. My (Dublin) hubby gets his proverbials in a twist about it sometimes, but I don't care.

I neither know nor care where the name came from nor why they use it in Donegal, we just do, and sure if it gets a few Dubs hot under the collar and ranting on boards all the more fun

Posy

I say St. Stephen's Day because I'm Irish. I've never heard anyone Irish call it 'Boxing Day' to be honest.

woodoo

Posy wrote: »

I say St. Stephen's Day because I'm Irish. I've never heard anyone Irish call it 'Boxing Day' to be honest.

I'm Irish too but i say boxing day.

Stiffler2

I think I remember yrs ago that they're used to be a boxing match on the tv on the 27th of December.

Could be going crazy tho