Boxing Day (from the OED)

The first week-day after Christmas-day, observed as a holiday on which post-men, errand-boys, and servants of various kinds expect to receive a Christmas-box. So also Boxing-night, Boxing-time.


1833 in A. MATHEWS Mem. C. Mathews (1839) IV. viii. 173 To the completion of his dismay, he arrives in London on boxing-day. 1837 DICKENS Pickw. xxxii. 343 No man ever talked in poetry 'cept a beadle on boxin' day. 1837 {emem} in Bentley's Misc. Mar. 296 The most turbulent sixpenny gallery that ever yelled through a boxing-night. 1849 G. SOANE New Curios. Lit. 317 The feast of Saint Stephen is more generally known amongst us as Boxing-Day. 1871 Hood's ‘Comic Ann.’ 59 It was the Saturday before the Monday Boxing Night. 1877 PEACOCK N. Linc. Gloss. (E.D.S.) Boxing-time, any time between Christmas-day, and the end of the first week in January. 1884 Harper's Mag. Dec. 9/1 In consequence of the multiplicity of business on Christmas-day, the giving of Christmas-boxes was postponed to the 26th, St. Stephen's Day, which became the established Boxing-day.