Boxing Day 可不是拳擊日，而是聖誕節過後的第一個工作日，一般可稱為「節禮日」。在許多國家，例如英國、澳洲、加拿大、德國等等，都把 Boxing Day 訂為國定假日。節禮日起源有許多說法，不過一般認為是源自於盎格魯‧薩克遜傳統。當時封建社會中，莊圓的莊主在節禮日這一天會把家中有用的物品，裝在大盒 子裡分送給莊園中的奴隸。
另外，社會上的有錢人也會自發性地分送禮物給一些較為貧困或社會中低階層的人們。這些禮物在聖誕節前都是裝在聖誕禮盒裡頭，直到聖誕節隔天才分發出去。後來這個傳統後來逐漸擴展到社會各階層的人們。節禮日現在在許多國家，也變成一個拍賣日了。這一天商店都會在大清早（清晨五點甚至更早）開門，提供超低流血價吸引客人，再加上電視上都會報導，推波助瀾的情況下，大排長龍已經算是司空見慣的常態了，有的甚至為了搶購限量商品，甚至大打出手或者推擠受傷的事情也略有所聞。近年來，Boxing Day 也慢慢變成 Boxing Week，通常從 26 號一直持續到31號呢！
奴隸 slave? Sounds inappropriate use of word. What era are you living in?
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Posted by just pass by
at December 26,2009 05:21
to just pass:
Slaves did exist during the middle age before the current european countries established. It's real history and nothing to do with what era 迴紋針 is living in.
Good lord, people seem self-righteous and like to give lectures. A better choice of words would sound less derogatory (e.g., a day the higher classes gave gifts to the lower classes).
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Posted by pass by again
at December 27,2009 05:50
To Irene:
A public holiday in England, Wales, and some Commonwealth countries on December 26.
[Because traditionally the day on which Christmas gifts, "boxes," were given to "service workers"].
It is called service workers (僱工), not slaves (奴隸).
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Posted by Irenetoo
at December 27,2009 07:36
