Boxing Day actually does have to do with boxes, just not the leftover ones from the presents under the tree. And not the sales either. Some folk believe it originates from alms boxes for the poor were collected at churches. Others connect it to the tradition of tradespeople collecting “Christmas boxes” of money or presents on the first weekday after Christmas as thanks for good service throughout the year. According to Samuel Pepys, on the day after Christmas, many servants were allowed to go visit their families and would be given a ‘Christmas box’ from their employer to take home with them.

Whichever origin story we believe, none of them are about big sales and shopping. Somehow consumerism has sunk its teeth into a tradition of thinking about others and transformed it into buying more stuff, usually for ourselves.

Which story do you want to perpetuate?

The choice is up to us.

Photo by Kadarius Seegars