"Boxing-day" - Word of the Day from the OED

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The wren, the wren, the king of all birds,
On St. Stephen's Day was caught in the furze,
Although he is little, his family is great,
I pray you, good landlady, give us a treat.
My box would speak, if it had but a tongue,
And two or three shillings, would do it not wrong,
Sing holly, sing ivy--sing ivy, sing holly,
A drop just to drink, it would drown melancholy.
And if you draw it of the best,
I hope in heaven your soul will rest;
But if you draw it of the small,
It won't agree with these wren boys at all.

http://www.noblenet.org/year/ststephen.html

http://www.dingle-peninsula.ie/wren.html
http://www.pbm.com/pipermail/minstrel/1995/006201.html
http://cincinnatibirds.com/xmas/wrenhunt.php
 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: "Dave Monroe" <against.the.dave at gmail.com>
> OED Online Word of the Day
> 
> Boxing-day SECOND EDITION 1989
> 
>     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  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.
> 
> Visit the OED's home page at www.oed.com