The Feast of Stephen, the Second Day of Christmas, and Boxing Day

Boxing day... 

I wanted to make up a story about the origins of modern Boxing Day and how it began the practice of re-gifting Christmas presents one doesn't like.  I had a story all ready to tell about how the late Princess Margaret reinvented the custom after her divorce from Tony. 

According to an obscure urban legend, Princes Margaret, drunk and out of cigarettes had given the servants the day after Christmas off, having no one to send to the store, the Princess called out the window to passers by to fetch her a carton of cigarettes.  When the poor pedestrians returned with the smokes, she threw all the boxes of gifts she had received from her ex-husband onto the pavement below - when suddenly a riot broke out... between the servants (who were returning home from the pub) and the pedestrians who had waited upon Her Royal Highness in their absence.  The Canadian Mounties, who had been in London for a horse show on St. Stephan's Day, had to break up the riot and began to distribute the gifts accordingly.  Many of the servants didn't want the gifts and graciously re-gifted their packages to the poor pedestrians, who later exchanged them for something useful at Herod's.

I decided against the idea of making up a silly story because... well, just because - what's the sense?  However, if you would like to know more about boxing day and re-gifting, go here.

The Second Day of Christmas

Did you know some people actually believe today is the First Day of Christmas?  Catholics know better, I assure you.  From The Widow of Rudd:

Some people have asked me why I start the 12 Days of Christmas on Christmas Day itself, when 'everyone knows' that they start on the day after Christmas.

Well, no. Only the English and those copying them know that they start on the day after Christmas. And even they were not always sure.

I will lay before you all the circumstantial evidence, and you can decide for yourself.

When is the Octave of Christmas? January 1st. If 1 January is the eighth day, then when was the first day? (Go ahead, you can count on your fingers if needed)... Widow's Weeds

 

Very good, but I have much simpler proof.  If Sunday is the first day of the week, just as Easter Sunday is the first day of Easter - and Easter itself is liturgically considered to be one day concluding on the Second Sunday of Easter, then it follows that Christmas Day is the first day of Christmas.  That's it then.  Today is The Second Day of Christmas.  Merry Christmas.

And happy St. Stephen's Day.

Immediately after Christmas Our Lord teaches us what the Christian life encompasses...

Art credit and more information

on St. Stephen's Day go here.

Nuts?