The origins of Boxing Day from the family friendly Boat House Restaurant Chertsey

If you're looking for something that explains the origins of Boxing Day, well, you're not going to find it here. The day-after-Christmas holiday is celebrated by most countries in the Commonwealth, but none of them are really sure what they're celebrating, when it started or why. Let alone the history of the Hunter’s Delight the Boxing Day favourite food, supposedly eaten by the ‘Hunt’ and brought back to life by the value for money Boat House Restaurant in Chertsey

The best clue to Boxing Day's origins can be found in the song "Good King Wenceslas." According to the Christmas carol, Wenceslas, who was Duke of Bohemia in the early 10th century, was surveying his land on St. Stephen's Day, Dec. 26th,  when he saw a poor man gathering wood in the middle of a snowstorm. Moved, the King gathered up surplus food and wine and carried them through the blizzard to the peasant's door. The alms-giving tradition has always been closely associated with the Christmas season but King Wenceslas' good deed came the day after Christmas, when the English poor received most of their charity.

King Wenceslas didn't start Boxing Day, but the Church of England might have. During Advent, Anglican parishes displayed a box into which churchgoers put their monetary donations. On the day after Christmas, the boxes were broken open and their contents distributed among the poor, thus giving rise to the term Boxing Day. Well possibly again.

But wait: there's another possible story about the holiday's origin. The day after Christmas was also the traditional day on which the aristocracy distributed presents (boxes) to servants and employees. The servants returned home, opened their boxes and had a second Christmas on what became known as Boxing Day.

So which version is correct? Well, both. Or neither. No one, it seems, is really sure. Both the church boxes and the servant presents definitely existed, although historians disagree on which practice inspired the holiday. But Boxing Day's origins aren't especially important to modern-day Britain. Today's Boxing Day festivities have very little to do with charity. Instead, they revolve around food (hence the Hunter’s Delight the seasonal special of the value for money Boat House Restaurant in Chertsey), football visits from friends, food and drinking at the local hostelry.

The annual Boxing Day fox hunts — which have been held all over the English countryside for hundreds of years gave rise to the Hunter’s Delight that is the centrepiece of the Boxing Day menu at the family friendly Boat House Restaurant located in the value for money Bridge Hotel in Chertsey. At only £12.95 this dish made up of Sliced Roast Beef Sliced Roast Turkey, Bubble & Squeak, Salad & Pickles was a favourite of hunts throughout the land, or so the story goes. But that’s not all that will be on the value for money Boxing Day menu at the family friendly Boat House Restaurant.  There will be other specials beside the great value for money normal menu items.
 
So whether it’s an afternoon watching the footie or of course, shopping at the Winter Sales, Boxing Day has evolved from a charitable day to an extended Christmas afternoon. It's a holiday with presents that have already been opened and a dinner that has been eaten. It's a holiday best spent lounging around in brightly coloured sweaters, wondering, lazily and lethargically, what to do next.

So don’t worry about the preparation, clearing up and washing up join us at the family friendly Boat House Restaurant in the value for money Bridge Hotel Chertsey for a relaxing time.  Just call us on 01932 565644 to book your table.