Why Is Boxing Day Celebrated After Christmas?

Boxing day is celebrated on December 26, a day after Christmas and is celebrated only in some countries. Boxing day is traditionally celebrated throughout Great Britain and also Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

Boxing day it also has religious connections and is is celebrated as Saint Stephen’s Day in Ireland and the Catalonia region of Spain.

Christmas 2022: Why is Boxing Day celebrated after Christmas?
Christmas 2022: Why is Boxing Day celebrated after Christmas? | Stock Image

The holiday is celebrated by many businesses, especially banks, post offices and government offices. But if that day falls on a Saturday, the celebration is moved to the following Monday. If December 26 falls on a Sunday, Boxing Day is observed on the following Tuesday.

This tradition has existed since 1871.

What is Boxing Day?

Boxing Day sounds like something that would involve gloves and boxing in a ring, it actually has nothing to do with the sport of boxing. Instead, The name comes from a time when wealthier people collected gifts as offerings for the needy. While its altruistic origins still influence the way some celebrate Boxing Day in modern times, the holiday now includes sports, shopping, feasting on delicious food and spending quality time with family and friends.

Christmas 2022: Why is Boxing Day celebrated after Christmas?
Christmas 2022: Why is Boxing Day celebrated after Christmas? | Stock Image

Other versions of the story claim that the term comes from gift boxes given to servants who had to work on Christmas Day. The next day, they were given gifts. Today, this day is also associated with post-Christmas shopping.

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 in England when Queen Victoria was on the throne.

Christmas 2022: Why is Boxing Day celebrated after Christmas?
Christmas 2022: Why is Boxing Day celebrated after Christmas? | Remove the spray

Also, Boxing Day is mainly known as a shopping holiday in the UK, Canada, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago and New Zealand. It’s a busy day for retailers and thus, the holiday helps boost the economy.

Boxing Day sports league

Not only shopping, but Boxing Day is also associated with sporting events. Sports are also often played on Boxing Day in the UK, especially horse racing and football matches! In Australia, there is cricket Boxing Day Test Matchwhere Australia plays another country.

Christmas 2022: Why is Boxing Day celebrated after Christmas?
Christmas 2022: Why is Boxing Day celebrated after Christmas? | File photo

Every year on this day, Australian Cricket Team compete against a visiting Test team at the MCG. A test match has been fixed on this day from the schedule of the team traveling to Australia during this time. This match is not an individual event in this sense, but a part of the matches of the away teams in the country.

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