The festivities are not yet over just after Christmas. There is Boxing Day to look forward to. Happy Boxing everyone! 

What does Boxing Day mean? When and where is it celebrated? Know everything about Boxing Day in this article. In the following sections of this article on Boxing Day, we will be sharing with you all the details about this festival, why it is celebrated and what activities you can do on this day. We will also look at the significance of Boxing Day in sports. If you are looking for food and drink recipes to try for Boxing Day, you can find them here too. Read ahead to know more. 

Introduction

If you are here reading this article, you are either trying to know how to celebrate Boxing Day, what activities you can indulge in or what gifts you can be choosing for this day or maybe you just need to know more about this holiday and find out what the hype is all about. All over the web, there are many versions of what this day is and how it originated. Some of the stories of why Boxing Day is on your calendar include the story of employees getting gifts from their employers. There is also the history of servants receiving gifts in boxes from their masters which they could take back home only the next day. This is how the day after Christmas gets its name. There was also a practice in medieval times when churches opened their donation boxes for the poor on this day. 

If you are looking forward to knowing more about this day, its significance, how to celebrate and so on, worry not. In the upcoming sections of this article, you will find everything from the origins of Boxing Day to how present-day celebrations take place. 

When Is Boxing Day And Where Is It Celebrated?

Boxing Day is celebrated the day after Christmas every year. Boxing date is 26th December and this day is a bank and public holiday in the countries where it is celebrated. If this date falls over the weekend, as in on Saturday or Sunday, it is celebrated on Monday or Tuesday. This year Boxing Day was celebrated on Monday. This holiday is commonly celebrated in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth countries and observed as a holiday in countries like Canada, New Zealand and South Africa. 

Why Is It Called Boxing Day?

In the previous sections, we have looked at what Boxing Day is and when and where it is celebrated. But you must be wondering why it is called so. Let us understand why this holiday is known as Boxing Day. On the occasion of Boxing Day, people send out gift boxes, food boxes and many more to poor and needy people. The act of giving money, food and presents to those in need, a day after Christmas, is symbolised by these Christmas boxes. This is how this holiday gets the name Boxing Day. 

History And Importance Of Boxing Day

Let us now take a look at the origins of Boxing Day and the significance of this holiday right after Christmas. Boxing Day evolved in the Victorian Era. It is a centuries-old tradition of gift-giving that originated in Britain and as the name suggests, boxes are a major part of the tradition of this holiday. 

On this day, it was a custom for tradesmen to collect gift boxes that contained money or goods. These gift boxes were in return for reliable service all around the year. There was also the tradition of employers giving their employees gifts on this day. Servants who served their masters received christmas gift boxes with money and also food to take home the next day as they visited their families. 

Boxing Day was also an occasion for the Church Parishioners to deposit donations for the poor into boxes set up by the clergyman. Giving to the poor is a major part of this holiday. 

The Feast of St. Stephens is also celebrated on this day in Ireland. 

Why Is Boxing Day So Important In Sports?

Because of its name, Boxing Day can be mistaken as a day when the game of boxing is celebrated or the day marking the birth anniversary or death anniversary of a prominent global boxing champion. This is not really the case as we have looked at what Boxing Day is, how it originated and how the day gets its name. So we know that Boxing Day is totally not about the sport that it gets its name from. Then why is this day significant in the world of sports? Let us find out. 

There are many aspects of sports that come to light when we look for answers to why this holiday is so important in this field. Some of these aspects have to do with the historical significance of the holiday while others have come up only as a tradition being followed for years. Some reasons why the day after Christmas is so important in sports are:

  • This holiday is also known as St. Stephen’s Day or the Feast of St. Stephens. St. Stephens is known as the saint of horses and he was also known to be very fond of animals. This is why there are a lot of sporting events like horse racing, foxhunting, etc. 
  • This is also the day when the first matches of various sports are played for the festival season. 
  • Rugby and football matches are played between local rival clubs in the United Kingdom, Australia and South Africa. This tradition has been in place since 1888. 
  • Test Cricket matches are kicked off in Australia and South Africa. The Australian team plays on the Melbourne Cricket Grounds against the team touring the country. This tradition has been in place since 1980. 
  • In African nations, prize fighting contests are held on this holiday. 

Boxing date, 26th December is hence very significant in the world of sports and it is an important date for sports fans and sportsmen across the globe. 

Popular Activities On Boxing Day?

What are some of the activities common on Boxing Day? Well, looking at the significance of the day and the importance it holds in the world of sports, there are a few common activities that you can indulge in on Boxing Day. You can choose between doing some charity work or letting your inner sports fan have a day of fun. Here is a list of activities for you to do on Boxing Day:

  • Volunteer with your church for various functions and donation work
  • Support different organisations that might be working for those in need by volunteering or donating. You can also donate blood to mark this day with a noble deed. 
  • Looking at the history of this holiday, you know that you can also be doing a good deed for your service providers. Add a tip for those who make life easier with their services. 
  • Participate in some icy swim events that raise money for charity. 
  • Binge-watch the various sporting events being telecasted on TV on this day or just attend a game in your locality. 
  • You can also play a sport of your choice with family and friends to spend the day. 
  • Spending time with friends and family is also very common on this day.
  • Informal gatherings with close ones with potluck is a great idea for activities to do on Boxing Day. 
  • You can also just get along with your friends and have a marathon of the sporting matches on TV. 
  • Another way to spend the day is by shopping at your favourite stores with your people. There are many sales and you can take advantage of the same. 

Food And Drink Recipes For Boxing Day?

One of the best ways of spending the day after Christmas is to be all warm and cosy in your space with your closest family and friends. You can add lots of fun and food to your little gathering for Boxing Day. Thinking of what can be on your table that will be loved by your guests? This section is dedicated to the various food and drink recipes that you can try for the holidays and especially for this day. Since this day is traditionally a day off for the cooks and other domestic helpers, you might want to bring forward the leftovers in some creative recipes for your family and friends. Leftover turkey from Christmas can be a great ingredient for your sandwiches or burritos on this day. Other than the leftovers, if there is something special that you want to try cooking for your loved ones, then here are a few options that you could look at:

  • Mince Pie
  • Meat Pie
  • Canadian Pork Pie
  • Smoked Salmon Bruschetta
  • Trifle
  • Champagne Mimosa

Try these delicacies out for the next Boxing Day and have a wonderful meal with your near and dear ones. 

How Do People Celebrate Boxing Day Today?

We have looked at the significance of Boxing Day and also understood why this day is important in the world of sports. You must be wondering how this day is celebrated in the present times. Let us find out the same in this section. 

We know that the holiday celebrated the day after Christmas is dedicated to making donations and giving gifts to the poor and needy. Most people help the poor on this day either by making donations or indulging in volunteer work with various organisations. Boxing Day in recent times has also become a holiday for going on a shopping spree as there are multiple discounts and sales on many brands. 

In the Commonwealth countries, people celebrate this day by watching the sports matches fixed for this holiday. You can plan a potluck with near and dear ones or just have a casual get-together with family and friends and binge-watch some of the sporting series that are up for the season. Indulge in some great food and drinks with the recipes we have shared with you. 

There are charity runs and also some sporting events for charity. One of the popular charity events is the Boxing Day Dip where people take a dip in the sea wearing a fancy costume. 

Conclusion

We have now reached the end of this article on Boxing Day. We have discussed Boxing Day in detail and looked at all the different aspects of this holiday like when it started, what its history is and how you should be celebrating this day. We have also covered some other details like the food and drinks that you must try as part of your Boxing Day celebration. We hope this article has helped you know about this holiday in detail and you will be able to plan an amazing celebration for this day. You can also plan some heartfelt gifts for your loved ones or just follow the tradition and extend the warmth to those in need. 

FAQs

We have looked at multiple aspects of Boxing Day in this article to share with you all the required details of this day to help you make the most of it. You might have some more questions related to this day and its festivities. In this section, we will be looking at some of the frequently asked questions related to Boxing Day. For your convenience, we will answer all these questions and give you all the required information to help your clear any doubts and answer your queries. 

  1.  Do people in the US celebrate Boxing Day?

The United States of America does not celebrate Boxing Day or observe this day as a holiday. It is celebrated in British Commonwealth countries, British colonies of the present and past and many other parts of the world. The countries celebrating Boxing Day include Canada, Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand and so many more. 

  1. What should I give on Boxing Day?

You can gift anything and everything to your loved ones on Boxing Day. Depending on what someone loves and their interests, you can either choose the right gift for them or give them a gift card. People also gift money, box-wrapped gifts and food to the needy on this day. 

  1.  What is the tradition behind Boxing Day?

The tradition behind Boxing Day involved giving gifts to the poor and needy the day after Christmas. These days, this holiday is a part of the Christmas celebrations and there are also several Boxing Day sales that people take advantage of. 

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