Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated on the day after Christmas Day. It originated in the United Kingdom, and is celebrated in a number of countries that previously formed part of the British Empire. Boxing Day is on 26 December, although the attached bank holiday or public holiday may take place either on that day or two days later.
In the early days of Christianity, boxes were placed in churches for charities and were opened on Christmas Day. The contents were distributed next day and called the "dole of the Christmas box," or the "box money."
It was customary for the head of the household to give small sums of money to their subordinates, "to put into the box," before the Christmas Day Church service.
Later, apprentices carried a box round to their master's customers for small gratuities.
In the liturgical calendar of Western Christianity, Boxing Day is the second day of Christmastide, and also is Saint Stephen's Day.
It is also celebrated as Saint Stephen's Day in Ireland and the Catalonia region of Spain. In countries such as Hungary, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, and Scandinavia, 26 December is celebrated as a Second Christmas Day
In the UK, Boxing Day always is a bank holiday. When 26 December falls on a Saturday, the Boxing Day public holiday is moved to the following Monday. If 26 December falls on a Sunday, the substitute public holiday is the following Tuesday.
Boxing Day was traditionally the first week day after Christmas, it cannot be on a Sunday as that is considered to be the day of worship. However, 26 December is nowadays generally referred to as Boxing Day, even when it falls on the Sunday.
In Hong Kong, despite the transfer of sovereignty from the UK to China in 1997, Boxing Day continues to be a public holiday. Government offices, banks, post offices and most offices are closed on Boxing Day. If it falls on a Sunday, a compensation day will be given on the next weekday.
In Australia, Boxing Day is a federal public holiday. South Australia state instead observes a public holiday known as Proclamation Day on the first weekday after Christmas Day or the Christmas Day holiday.
In New Zealand, Boxing Day is a statutory holiday; on these holidays, X1.5 salary is paid and a lieu day is provided to employees who work.
In Canada, Boxing Day is a federal statutory holiday. Government offices, banks and post offices/delivery are closed. In some Canadian provinces, Boxing Day is a statutory holiday that is always celebrated on 26 December with a compensation days if this is on a weekend.
While not generally observed in the United States, on 5 December 1996, Massachusetts Gov. William F. Weld declared 26 December as Boxing Day in Massachusetts, in response to the efforts of a local coalition of British citizens to, "transport the English tradition to the United States," but not as an employee holiday.
In Nigeria, Boxing Day is a public holiday for working people and students. When it falls on Saturday or Sunday, there is always a holiday on Monday.
In Trinidad and Tobago, Boxing Day is a Public Holiday.
Boxing Day is a time to spend with family or friends, usually those not seen on Christmas Day itself.
Boxing Day is also a time when the British show their eccentricity by taking part in all kinds of pointless activities. These include swimming the English Channel, fun runs, and charity events.
Until 2004, Boxing Day hunts were a traditional part of the day, but the ban on fox hunting has put an end to this in its usual sense. Hunters will still gather but, since it is now forbidden to chase the fox with dogs, they now follow artificially laid trails. Horse racing meets remain popular.
In Ireland, Boxing Day is also known as "St. Stephen's Day" named after the Saint stoned to death for believing in Jesus. On Boxing, there once was a barbaric act carried out by the so-called "Wren Boys," who dressed up and went out to stone wrens to death, then carry their catch around the town knocking on doors and asking for money, the stoning representing what had happened to St Stephen.
This tradition has now stopped but the Wrens Boys still dress up to parade around town and collect money for charities.
In the British overseas territory of Bermuda, the costumed Gombey dancers (below) perform throughout the island on Boxing Day, a tradition believed to date back to the 18th century when slaves were permitted to gather at Christmas time.
