Page "Boxing Day" Paragraph 4

The exact etymology of the term " boxing " is unclear.

There are several competing theories, none of which is definitive.

The European tradition, which has long included giving money and other gifts to those who were needy and in service positions, has been dated to the Middle Ages, but the exact origin is unknown.

It may come from a custom in the late Roman / early Christian era, wherein metal boxes placed outside churches were used to collect special offerings tied to the Feast of Saint Stephen, which in the Western Church falls on the same day as Boxing Day.