Boxing Day – Lubbocks Home and Family Magazine https://lubbockshomeandfamily.com Wed, 10 Jan 2024 23:35:13 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://lubbockshomeandfamily.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/cropped-favicon-512x512-1-32x32.jpg Boxing Day – Lubbocks Home and Family Magazine https://lubbockshomeandfamily.com 32 32 History of Boxing Day: What’s it all about? https://lubbockshomeandfamily.com/history-of-boxing-day-whats-it-all-about/ Thu, 11 Jan 2024 00:24:00 +0000 https://lubbockshomeandfamily.com/?p=6995

History of Boxing Day: What’s it all about?

Kaiya Freelon

For many, Boxing Day is just another event we see on the calendar. Although it’s not a major holiday celebrated in America, it’s one that’s been celebrated around the world for quite some time.

So how did it all start? Well Boxing Day, also known as St. Stephen’s Day after the Christian martyr known for his charitable acts, originated in England during the 1800s. Around this time, Britain was characterized as the “most powerful empire in the world.” Thus, the holiday spread across the world and continues to be celebrated today. It was tradition for the wealthy to box and give gifts, money and more, then hand them out to servants, tradesmen, and those who were poor the day after Christmas. It was also common for servants of wealthy families to work on Christmas Day, so this was usually the day they would celebrate. Queen Victoria would be the one to eventually name the holiday, Boxing Day.

But how is the holiday celebrated now? Today, citizens celebrate Boxing Day in multiple countries including Great Britain, New Zealand, Canada, Australia and more. Although giving back is still the main focus of the holiday, in these countries people celebrate the holiday in different ways. In Canada, Boxing Day is another Black Friday. Canadians spend the day shopping and watching sports, usually hockey. In New Zealand, many people take time to relax and spend time at the beach, since it’s Summer when the holiday rolls around. In the UK, the holiday is a day for shopping rather than a day or giving gifts. This is also one of the biggest days for Premier League games, seeing as the league and the holiday seem to be intertwined with one another.

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After seeing the way various countries celebrate, we notice how far they’ve gone from original traditions. The holiday is more of a day of relaxing and taking time away from work. Although it began as a day specifically to give back, it’s common during this time of the year for people to give back anyway.

Hearing all the celebration of the holiday across the world, one may wonder why it’s not celebrated in the United States. The reason for that is simple; Boxing Day wasn’t adopted by the “American government.” Since Christmas is one of the biggest holidays celebrated here with the New Year being right around the corner, we tend to put all of our attention and energy into these holidays instead. Although the holiday isn’t specifically celebrated in America, the origin of Boxing Day falls in line with the giving spirit.

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]]> History of Boxing Day https://lubbockshomeandfamily.com/history-of-boxing-day/ Thu, 11 Jan 2024 00:11:00 +0000 https://lubbockshomeandfamily.com/?p=6983

It’s Almost Time to Celebrate Boxing Day.

Kara Hyden

What? There’s a day that celebrates people that box for sport?

No. The day after Christmas, December 26, several countries around the world, including Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom celebrate Boxing Day. In some European countries such as Hungary, Germany, Poland, and the Netherlands, it’s a second Christmas Day and a public holiday. Most offices are closed when it falls on a weekday.

So what is Boxing Day?

Centuries ago, Boxing Day was when wealthier people boxed up presents as offerings for the poor. Today, the holiday involves shopping, feasting on delicious foods, enjoying sports, and spending quality time with family and friends.

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But how did this day come about? What is its purpose?

Several theories exist. 

The British Broadcasting Company says Boxing Day got its name from the 1800s when Queen Victoria held the throne. Since servants were required to work on Christmas, their employers would fill a box with gifts, money and leftovers and give it to them the day after Christmas, and they would share with their families. 

Another theory comes from ancient churches with alms boxes. It’s said that on December 26, clergy members would give these funds to the poor in honor of the feast of St. Stephen, a Christian martyr known for charitable acts. In Ireland, Boxing Day is also known as St. Stephen’s Day.

The theory that Boxing Day derives from St. Stephens Day is found in the Christmas carol, “Good King Wenceslas.” It tells the story of the Duke of Bohemia in the 10th century when he observed a poor man on his land, struggling to gather wood in the middle of a snowstorm. He was so moved, he gathered food and wine and delivered it to his door, inspiring a tradition.

Regardless of the actual origins of the holiday, it’s clear that the day is characterized by charitable giving, gifts, and celebrations with family. 

 

But there are a few other ways it’s celebrated today. Some see Boxing Day as a day to spend with family they didn’t get to see on Christmas, by gathering for meals, drinking at pubs, or simply enjoying the day off at home. Some see it as a day to overindulge on the leftovers; inviting friends over to enjoy festive foods. Some like to celebrate by going shopping; in some countries Boxing Day is considered the “Black Friday” akin to the one in the United States in November. It’s said that people will stand in line for hours to snag some of the best discounts of the season. Sound familiar?

 

And still, while Boxing Day has nothing to do with sports, it has become a day to watch football (soccer for us U.S. folks). Tracking back to the 1950’s, before the days of television, people would dress up and attend football matches on December 25 after eating. But the attitude toward sports on Christmas Day in the United Kingdom changed and the last football match to take place on Christmas occurred in 1957. So Boxing Day has become the day for all sports fans to get their fix. 

 

And yet a final tradition is known as the Boxing Day Dip. This is when adventurous participants dress in fancy clothes and take a dunk in the freezing cold sea. Although this polar plunge tradition is still alive and well today, most brave swimmers are donning Santa hats or suits rather than their nicest formal attire.

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