I think I vaguely heard of Boxing Day when I lived in the States, but I'd no idea when it happened. I was delighted to learn that in the UK that it followed Christmas Day and was also an official holiday. The funny thing was, whenever I asked what Boxing Day was about, I got different answers so it seemed few people really knew.
Looking it up on Wikipedia it turns out that there is more than one explanation, though all have to do with giving associated with a box (and so the person who said it had to do with the Box Room was pretty far off). Actually, it's not even a box but to box, a verb meaning to give a Christmas box. On the whole it's about giving to people in a lower social class (Jolly Good Show and All That).
Apparently, the (noun) box might be the alms box at the church, a collection box in a work place, the servant's box brought to work the first day after Christmas and filled with goods or coins by the master, or the practice of boxing up leftover food from Christmas Day (a work day for servants) to enjoy their day off the next day, Boxing Day.
In Western Christianity (as opposed to Eastern Christianity) -- I've lived a sheltered life and never realised there was this differentiation -- Boxing Day also happens to be the Feast Day for St. Stephen, which has all sorts of interesting meaning in different parts of the world.
(Isn't Wikipedia just Wonderful?)
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The only problem with Widipedia is anyone can put whatever they want on it. What you get is not always the correct answer but an individual's idea of a correct answer. I've heard of Boxing Day from people in Canada since it is a holiday their also.
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