In various countries of the world, December 25 does not signal the end of Christmas holiday celebrations. The day after Christmas is Boxing Day.
Something quiet about Christmas, Boxing Day gives those who celebrate it an extra chance to recover from some of the considerable (non)exercise of Christmas.
The day has British origins, so it is no surprise that it is celebrated mainly in the United Kingdom and its former colonies. While its modern incarnation as a popular holiday began in 1871, when it was proclaimed as one by Queen Victoria, its history goes much deeper.
The origins of Boxing Day are obscure, shrouded in folklore and the ever-enveloping fog of time. What seems likely, in any case, is that it was a day when gifts were given to members of the working class.
At first, these seemed to be in the way of donations left in church boxes. There is some historical evidence for this, given that it was mentioned by diarist Samuel Pepys and satirist/author Jonathan Swift – reluctantly, in the latter case – as early as the 17th century.
Later, it was probably related to the practice of wealthy landowners allowing their servants time off after Christmas, sending them home with gift boxes or scraps.
It’s considerably less class-conscious these days. In countries where it is celebrated, Boxing Day is usually a paid public holiday, giving people of all walks of life an opportunity to spend it as they see fit.
In many countries – particularly the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Trinidad and Tobago – the day is a favorite shopping day, with the streets jammed with people on their way to pick up huge sales discounts of Boxing Day. In recent years this has been softened somewhat, especially in Canada, by similar Black Fridays.
File photo: Sulav Dhakal, right, hits the ball thrown by Ateet Maharjan, foreground, as wicketkeeper Arun Adhikari, center, looks on during a cricket game at the LSU Parade Ground hosted by the LSU Nepalese Student Association, in honor of one of them. players, the late Binod Nepal, an LSU graduate student in civil engineering who was killed in a traffic accident just over a year ago.
Besides shopping, it is a favorite time to watch sports. In the UK it is one of the busiest days in the football calendar, while in Australia it is closely associated with cricket. Every year a Boxing Day Test match – Test matches are the longest form of cricket, lasting up to five days – kicks off at the imposing Sydney Cricket Ground. The Australian team, to the dismay of whoever is playing, tends to dominate.
What about boxing? Despite sharing a name, leading many to think they are related, the day’s origins have nothing to do with sports.
However, this does not mean that boxing was not held in it. Most famously, on Boxing Day in 1908, American boxer Jack Johnson fought and completely defeated Tommy Burns in Sydney to become the world’s first heavyweight boxing champion.
For those a little more proactive, or who have simply had enough of relaxing, there are plenty of excuses to get outside. Backyard cricket is popular in New Zealand, while people in the UK tend to enjoy a long walk (when not watching football).
Boxing Day walking is a time-honored tradition with families across the UK, with the day being a perfect opportunity to enjoy the cool air and let go of some of that fig pudding.
A more adventurous activity is the Boxing Day Dip, an annual charity event where fancy-dressed participants dive into the icy North Sea. It’s a surefire way to burn off any lethargy.
Boxing Day isn’t the only notable event on December 26. Many European countries – including but not limited to Ireland, Germany and Italy – instead celebrate Saint Stephen’s Day, which commemorates the first Christian martyr. Like Boxing Day, it is also a public holiday.
Boxing Day’s mix of sport, rest, eating, walking and shopping won’t be coming to this side of the Atlantic any time soon. For the most part, anyway: In 1996, then-Governor of Massachusetts William F. Weld officially declared December 26 Boxing Day in his state, though it didn’t last long to make it a holiday.
