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by Jane Stahl
Boxing Day is celebrated in parts of the British Commonwealth-- including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and parts of the Caribbean--as a public holiday on December 26, the first day (strictly, the first weekday) after Christmas Day.
Although it comes right after Christmas Day, Boxing Day has its own unique history and traditions that have developed over many centuries.
While Boxing Day is not a formal religious holiday, it has deep roots in Christian traditions, coinciding with St. Stephen's Day (the first Christian martyr) and historically being a day for charity, giving gifts (Christmas boxes) to servants and the poor after Christmas Day. Today, it's a secular holiday in Commonwealth nations known for big sales, sports, and family time, though its charitable spirit links back to religious giving.
After the merriment of the big day, Boxing Day offers a chance for a more relaxed mood at home. Light the fire and scented candles, put out cozy blankets and throws and set the scene for a lazy day watching films and playing games by the fireplace.
The origins of Boxing Day date back to medieval Britain. One common explanation is that it was a day when wealthy families gave “Christmas boxes” to servants, workers, and tradespeople. These boxes often contained money, food, or small gifts as a way of saying thank you for their service throughout the year.
Because servants usually worked on Christmas Day, they were given the following day off to visit their families and open their boxes, which is how the holiday got its name. Another historical connection is to churches, where donation boxes were opened on December 26 and their contents distributed to people in need.
Over time, Boxing Day evolved from a day of giving into a public holiday with a wide range of activities. One of the most popular modern traditions is shopping. Many stores offer large sales on Boxing Day, making it one of the busiest shopping days of the year in some countries. People line up early to find discounts on clothing, electronics, and household items.
Sports also play a major role in Boxing Day celebrations. In the United Kingdom, football (soccer) matches are traditionally held on this day, with many teams playing special holiday fixtures. In countries like Australia and South Africa, Boxing Day is famous for major cricket matches that attract large crowds and television audiences. Horse racing is another traditional Boxing Day sport in some regions.
In addition, Boxing Day is often a time for relaxation and spending time with family and friends. Many people enjoy leftovers from Christmas dinner, watch movies, go for walks, or visit relatives. In recent years, charitable activities have also become more common, continuing the original spirit of generosity associated with the holiday.
Boxing Day has transformed from a day of giving boxes to servants and the poor into a modern holiday filled with shopping, sports, and family time. Despite these changes, its underlying themes of generosity, community, and rest remain an important part of its meaning today.
Americans, however, don't celebrate Boxing Day because the U.S. gained independence from Britain long before it became a widespread British holiday, so the tradition never became ingrained in American culture, with Thanksgiving and Black Friday filling similar roles and the focus remaining on Christmas and New Year's.
The U.S. never adopted it as an official holiday, and the day after Christmas often remains a regular workday or a day for post-Christmas sales and returns, unlike in Commonwealth nations where it's a statutory day off.
Instead, celebrations are held on December 26, the Feast day of St. Stephen .This date, the day after Christmas, as Ven. Fulton Sheen remarked in his Life of Christ, is a reminder that Christ is the only person who “came into the world to die."
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