† 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 sb.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; vsed in France by begging Fryers, and here by Butlers, and Prentices, &c.
1612–5. Bp. Hall, Contempl. N. T., IV. xi. It is a shame for a rich Christian to be like a christmas-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 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.
Thus, these gratuities are 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.
