On December 26, countries around the world, including the UK, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, celebrate Boxing Day. While the origins of the name Boxing Day are not absolutely known, it is widely believed that beginning in the early 19th century, employers who expected their servants to work in their home on Christmas Day (think of Mr. Carson and Mrs. Patmore serving Christmas dinner to the Granthams) would give them the following day off to celebrate with their own families. They would often send the employees home with a box of gifts or money, leading to the term Boxing Day.
These days, Boxing Day is celebrated as an extension of the Christmas holidays. In the UK, the Boxing Day sales are the equivalent to America’s Black Friday, with sales reaching over £3 billion. Some Americans have suggested the US adopt Boxing Day as a sort of holiday from the holidays—a chance to relax after the hustle and bustle of Christmas and enjoy time together with family and friends.
Learn more here:
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/46454700
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/Boxing-Day
- https://www.history.com/news/why-is-the-day-after-christmas-called-boxing-day
- https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/26/style/boxing-day-holiday-extra.html
