... but the exact origin is unknown. In this day and age, Christmas has for many become a secular holiday, associated less with the birth of Jesus than with family get-togethers and the eager exchange of presents . In some attestations, Boxing Day was when servants, postment, and people of similar occupations received a Christmas box – a gratuity given at Christmas to service workers for their contribution to the general public – filled with money or presents on the day … December 26 is not only a day for Santa Claus to catch his breath but a public holiday known as Boxing Day in the United Kingdom and other British Commonwealth. Source(s): Boxing Day is ALWAYS the 26th of dec. if it falls on a Sunday then that means christmas falls on a Saturday and so Monday becomes Xmas public holiday and Tuesday becomes Boxing Day public holiday. The primary meaning of Boxing Day is a day set aside to give gifts in boxes to staff, customers etc. Amateur boxing is both an Olympic and Commonwealth Games sport and is a standard fixture in most international games—it also has its own World Championships. The servants were given 26th December the day off to go home and visit their family, this is possibly the origin of leftovers on Boxing Day as the cook probably was off duty! Boxing Day is celebrated Wednesday with employers giving "boxed" gifts to their employees and stores offering discount sales. Is There a Right Time to Take Down Your Christmas Decorations? Boxing Day is a public holiday celebrated on the first day (strictly, the first weekday) after Christmas Day. St. Stephen and charity. 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 widely celebrated in countries that are part of the British Commonwealth. … For years in which the holiday falls on a weekend, the celebration is moved to make sure workers still get a day off (except in Canada, where it remains Dec. 26) In the UK it's classed as a Bank Holiday. Boxing Day in Australia. The annual Boxing Day test match between Australia’s national team and an opposing side is a tradition many across the country tune in to watch, whilst those living in and around Sydney will head to the coast to watch the annual Sydney to Hobart yacht race. It's origins are obscure, but they date back centuries. Outside of the commonwealth, the 26th of December is known as Saint Stephens Day. Boxing Day test 2018: The Boxing Day Test match is a game of cricket that is played between Australia and a visiting national cricket team at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The … Boxing Day is mostly a Commonwealth tradition, with the likes of Canada, Australia and New Zealand celebrating the day just like in the UK. Boxing Day: Origin of the holiday and possible meaning behind the name thesouthafrican.com - Cheryl Kahla. ORIGIN. History of Boxing Day No one is quite sure where Boxing Day got its start. It is a time of meals, dinners and family gatherings enjoying the holidays, although the coronavirus means that this year not everything is the same. Boxing Day Holiday Origin The origin of Boxing Day is a mystery to the public. Traditionally, it was a day when employers distributed money, food, cloth (material) or other valuable goods to their employees. The view that Boxing Day was a day for pugilism gets some support via the earliest reference to the name that I can find, which is in The Sporting Magazine, Volume 25, 1805: On boxing-day, Dec. 26, a numerous assemblage of the holiday folk were amused by a hard fought battle, in St. Pancras-fields. Boxing Day is a national holiday in the UK and Ireland and there are various theories as to its origin. 29 December, 2020 - 21:55 Nathan Falde. Boxing Day originated in England in the middle of the nineteenth century under Queen Victoria. Apart from India vs Australia Boxing Day Test, December 26, 2020, will also see New Zealand hosting Pakistan and South Africa welcoming Sri Lanka. As per historians, in early periods, servants who worked on Christmas day took a day off on the next day. ORIGIN A Christmas-box was a box, usually of earthenware, in which contributions of money were collected at Christmas , in particular by apprentices from their masters’ customers. Jan 05, 7:28 PM EST ... its origin is not fully understood. Origin. Boxing Day, also known as St. Stephen's Day, is celebrated on December 26 - the day after Christmas.It was a way for people to make contributions of cash or goods to those less fortunate. 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