December 26th

For those of a religious persuasion December 26th is the Feast of Saint Stephen, commemorating Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Stephen was a deacon in the early church at Jerusalem who aroused the enmity of members of various synagogues by his teachings. Accused of blasphemy, at his trial he made a long speech denouncing the Jewish authorities who were sitting in judgment on him and was then stoned to death.

For others it is Boxing Day; according to the Oxford English Dictionary the term was first used in England in the 1830s, defining it as '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'.

These days it is an opportunity to indulge in yet another spending-fest at the Boxing Day sales.