ˈChristmas-box
† 1. A box, usually of earthenware, in which contributions of money were collected at Christmas, by apprentices, etc.; the box being broken when full, and the contents shared. See box n.2 5.
| 1611 Cotgr. Tirelire, a Christmas box; a box having a cleft on the lid, or in the side, for money to enter it; used in France by begging Fryers, and here by Butlers, and Prentices, etc. 1612–15 Bp. Hall Contempl. N.T. iv. xi, It is a shame for a rich Christian to be like a chistmas-box, that receives all, and nothing can be got out till it be broken in pieces. 1642 H. Browne Map of Microcosm (N.), Like the Christmas earthen boxes of apprentices, apt to take in money, but he restores none till hee be broken, like a potter's vessel, into many shares. 1712 Arbuthnot John Bull vi. (1756) 226 Peg's servants..had more than their share of the Christmas-box. 1802 Fosbroke Brit. Monachism (1843) Tire-lire is the only French for Christmas-box, or money box cleft on the side. |
† 2. The butler's box, in which gamesters put part of their winnings. See butler n. 3. Obs.
| 1621 Quarles Argalus & P. (1678) 116 When skilful Gamesters play, The Christmas Box gains often more than they. c 1645 Howell Lett. (1650) I. 76 The lawyer..is like a Christmas-box, which is sure to get whosoever loseth. |
3. A present or gratuity given at Christmas: in Great Britain, usually confined to gratuities given to those who are supposed to have a vague claim upon the donor for services rendered to him as one of the general public by whom they are employed and paid, or as a customer of their legal employer; the undefined theory being that as they have done offices for this person, for which he has not directly paid them, some direct acknowledgement is becoming at Christmas.
These gratuities have traditionally been asked from householders by letter-carriers, policemen, lamp-lighters, scavengers, butchers' and bakers' boys, tradesmen's carmen, etc., and from tradesmen by the servants of households that deal with them, etc. They are thus practically identical with the Christmas-box collected by apprentices from their masters' customers in sense 1, exc. that the name is now given to the individual donation; and hence, vulgarly and in dialect use it is often equivalent to ‘Christmas present.’
| 1668–1712 [see box2 5]. 1731 in Hone Every Day Bk. I. 1645 The people were come for their Christmas-box. a 1845 Hood John Day ii, And wished his box a Christmas-box To come but once a year. 1880 Post Office Guide, 12 The prohibition from receiving payment in addition to the postage does not, however, extend to Christmas boxes. |