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People who grew up in Ireland calling it Boxing Day?

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  • 27-12-2011 12:03am
    #1
    The Scientician
    Registered Users Posts: 1,724 ✭✭✭


    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.
    Tagged:


«13456

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    #2
    apoch632
    Registered Users Posts: 357 ✭✭apoch632


    Some parts of Donegal would


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    #3
    pragmatic1
    Registered Users Posts: 5,573 ✭✭✭pragmatic1


    Boxing day in Donegal.


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    #4
    seanybiker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,898 ✭✭✭✭seanybiker


    Day after Christmas works for me


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    #5
    Spunge
    Registered Users Posts: 2,779 ✭✭✭Spunge


    only 364 more days till christmas. woot.


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    #6
    Liam Byrne
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,163 ✭✭✭✭Liam Byrne


    pragmatic1 wrote: »
    Boxing day in Donegal.

    How so?

    It's a UK term.


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    #7
    Pherekydes
    Registered Users Posts: 16,156 ✭✭✭✭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".


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    #8
    My name is URL
    Registered Users Posts: 25,068 ✭✭✭✭My name is URL


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


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    #9
    Liam Byrne
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,163 ✭✭✭✭Liam Byrne


    7Sins wrote: »
    So what boxing is on then?

    An episode of EastEnders?


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    #10
    Chuck Stone
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,030 ✭✭✭✭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.


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    #11
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


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


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    #12
    W.Shakes-Beer
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,975 ✭✭✭W.Shakes-Beer


    I always just called it "My" Day.


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    #13
    L.Jenkins
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 19,240 Mod ✭✭✭✭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.


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    #14
    connundrum
    Registered Users Posts: 5,563 ✭✭✭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.


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    #15
    Liam Byrne
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,163 ✭✭✭✭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 ?


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    #16
    crazygeryy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,065 ✭✭✭crazygeryy


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


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    #17
    cocoshovel
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,041 ✭✭✭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.


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    #18
    LordSutch
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,078 ✭✭✭✭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 . . .


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    #19
    Quazzie
    Registered Users Posts: 28,898 ✭✭✭✭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.


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    #20
    44leto
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,137 ✭✭✭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.


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    #21
    ejmaztec
    Registered Users Posts: 24,024 ✭✭✭✭ejmaztec


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


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    #22
    44leto
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,137 ✭✭✭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.


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    #23
    mathepac
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,991 ✭✭✭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.


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    #24
    darragh666
    Registered Users Posts: 187 ✭✭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.


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    #25
    Richard
    Registered Users Posts: 2,439 ✭✭✭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


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    #26
    Jonah42
    Closed Accounts Posts: 455 ✭✭Jonah42


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


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    #27
    Professey Chin
    Registered Users Posts: 51,054 ✭✭✭✭Professey Chin


    Spunge wrote: »
    only 364 more days till christmas. woot.

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


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    #28
    Vivara
    Registered Users Posts: 333 ✭✭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!


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    #29
    TheUsual
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,288 ✭✭✭TheUsual


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

    And they are always boxing each others heads in.


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    #30
    cloneslad
    Registered Users Posts: 2,583 ✭✭✭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)


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    #31
    mistermouse
    Registered Users Posts: 323 ✭✭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.


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