Everything to Know About How Boxing Day Is Celebrated Around the World
For those of us that live in the United States or don't celebrate Christmas, "Boxing Day" probably brings to mind the latest UFC fight or "arm day" at the gym. But contrary to its misleading name, Boxing Day is a holiday tradition celebrated in various countries during the stretch between Christmas and News Year's Eve.
The fun part about this holiday is that it's celebrated in different ways across the world. Up North, Canada observes the holiday by cheering on their home hockey teams and shopping in a similar way to Americans on Black Friday. Across the pond, England dedicates December 26 to eating all of those Christmas leftovers. Each country puts its own unique twist on the holiday, which probably raises a question: What is Boxing Day?
To answer the question literally, the "box" refers to gift boxes. Traditionally, the day was for people to box up gifts for the less fortunate and for employers to give their staff Christmas gifts. But since then, the holiday has taken on new meanings and traditions unrelated to any "box" of the sort. Here, you'll find the history of Boxing Day and how it's celebrated today.
When is Boxing Day?
Well, let's start with the date: Boxing Day is on December 26—that's pretty easy to remember since it's right after Christmas Day! In 2023, Boxing Day lands on a Tuesday. It's most strongly associated with the United Kingdom, which is why Canada and other Commonwealth countries celebrate it as well. If you're imagining half of England dressed up in silky red shorts and leather gloves, we're sorry to disappoint: Boxing Day has nothing to do with the sport! (Although Brits will be watching plenty of "football" that afternoon.)
What is the history of Boxing Day?
Like many origin stories, the rise of Boxing Day is a bit murky. The Oxford English Dictionary traces its earliest appearance in print to 1833 England when Queen Victoria was on the throne.
There are two central theories about the roots of the holiday, according to History.com. One suggests that lords of manors would hand out "Christmas Boxes" to their household servants and give them the day off on December 26 because they were required to work on Christmas Day. The lords would box up money, gifts, and Christmas leftovers (basically holiday bonuses) to recognize their employee's service during the year.
The second idea is that Boxing Day comes from the church practice of putting out Alms boxes during the Advent season. Parishioners would make monetary contributions that the Church would then give out on December 26, which is also the feast of St. Stephen.
Still, another theory looks to the song "Good King Wenceslas" for the moniker's origin. According to TIME, the classic Christmas carol tells the story of Wenceslas, Duke of Bohemia, in the early 10th century. The Duke was surveying his land on St. Stephen's Day when he saw a poor man laboring in the middle of a snowstorm. Moved by the pitiful sight, the Duke gathered his extra food and wine, trekked through the storm, and delivered it to the man's door.
So, which story is the real deal? Maybe one of them, maybe all. Whatever the case, Boxing Day is still celebrated today with the spirit of giving to the less fortunate.
Which countries celebrate Boxing Day?
Since the day is largely associated with the United Kingdom, all regions under the British umbrella (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) celebrate Boxing Day. With that said, other countries that participate in the holiday are Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Canada. Some European countries also celebrate the day (such as Romania, Finland, Hungary, and Croatia), but they call it St Stephen’s Day instead.
How is Boxing Day celebrated today?
In modern times, Boxing Day is a time to spend with family and cash in on post-Christmas deals. Families visit with the loved ones they couldn't see on December 25. Companies give their employees the day off, and many take the opportunity to give out their holiday bonuses. While the boxes aren't much of a thing anymore, individuals will give extra money to people like paper boys and girls or doormen during the week leading up to Christmas.
Oh, and while boxing day has nothing to do with the sport, "football" (soccer to us Americans) is huge on December 26 in the U.K. Prior to the advent of television, you would have found fans heading out for football matches on December 25. However, attitudes changed during the mid-century—since 1957, football matches have been a no-go on Christmas Day. Boxing Day then became one of the biggest Premier League days of the year.
Acts of charity and leftovers continue to be a tenant of the day as well. The Old Farmer's Almanac notes that people will participate in charity runs and events like the "Boxing Day Dip." This "dip" involves dressing up and jumping into freezing water!
What do you serve on Boxing Day?
Typically, a Boxing Day buffet consist of Christmas leftovers and treats. Nowadays, the leftovers usually involve turkey, including turkey sandwiches, pies, curry, you name it. Indulgences also include ham, roasted veggies, Christmas cakes, and other Christmas goodies. So, in a sense, Americans have also been celebrating Boxing Day without even knowing it!
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