jonesthecurl wrote:So, as a Brit, I've seen several suggestions as to why it's 'Boxing Day'.
None of them suggest putting the decorations away.
One was: this was the day on which the servants, postman, etc. were given their 'Christmas Box'.
Another was: presents weren't opened on Christmas Day, which was a day of devotion. Presents ere unboxed the next day.
Another was: the poor box in the church was distributed on this day.
Nobody actually knows, but NO, you don't take the decorations down!
It's bad luck to do that before 12th night!
Promoting the opening of gifts on the 26th, while keeping the 25th devotional is an interesting possibility that should be introduced into the culture wars.
Indeed some suggest that gifts should not be opened until the last day of Christmas (5 January, the Epiphany) as that is the day the Three Wise Men presented their gifts to the Magi.
Another alternative is to separate gift giving from Christmas tradition altogether and place it under the auspices of St. Nicholas of Myra, whose feast day is 5/6 December, in the Western Calendar. If St. Nicholas or his minions are unable to perform such duties, the task should next fall to Good 'King'* Wenceslaus of Prague.
* In actuality, a Bohemian Duke.