What kind of holiday is this?

Boxing Day falls on December 26. The holiday is celebrated every year in only a few countries – mainly in those historically associated with Great Britain (Canada, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand) and in some European countries. In Germany it is called “Zweite Feiertag”, which means “second celebration”.

How the idea of ​​celebrating the Day came about gifts?

Boxing Day in English sounds like Boxing Day, which translates as Boxing Day. We are talking about gift boxes.

Some historians claim that the tradition dates back to Roman times, when money to pay for sports games was collected in boxes. Clay pots filled with coins were found among the ruins of Pompeii. The Romans later brought the idea to Britain, and monks and clergy soon began using the boxes to collect donations throughout the year, with the proceeds distributed to the poor at Christmas.

Also on this day, wealthy people prepared gifts for the poor. The holiday was traditionally a day off for servants, it was on December 26 that they received a special Christmas box with a gift from their employers. In turn, returning to their homes for the weekend, they gave gifts to their relatives and loved ones.

Box day in the UK

The term “Boxing Day” first appeared in history in 1833, but the official origin of the name has never been established.

However, there were many reasons to call Boxing Day that way:

• “Christmas box” was the name of the Christmas presents given to servants in Great Britain.
• Charity boxes. The fact is that most Christians celebrate Christmas on December 25. On this day, boxes are set up in churches to collect funds, and the next day, on Boxing Day, the boxes are opened and the money is distributed to the poor.
• Traditions of seafarers. During the sailing, there was a hermetically sealed box with money on the ship for good luck. If the voyage was successful, the box was given to the priest, who opened it on Christmas Day and distributed its contents to the poor.

Boxing Day in other countries

This day also has religious roots and is celebrated as Saint Stephen’s Day in Ireland and in one of the regions of Spain – Catalonia. In some European countries – such as Hungary, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands – Boxing Day is celebrated as a second Christmas. In the Republic of South Africa, the holiday is called the Day of Goodwill.

But in the United States, December 26 is celebrated as Caramel Cane Day as a continuation of Christmas. In recent years, the holiday has gained popularity in Ukraine. On this day, gifts are bought at reduced prices.

Frequent Questions and answers about Gift Day

🎁 Gifts for Boxing Day

	Perfumed water for women
	Set for men
	A set for fans of robotics and construction
	Puppet and Pikki the Parrot
	Puzzle

How to celebrate Gift Day?

For most ordinary people, Boxing Day is a time to spend with family or friends, especially those you didn’t get to meet on Christmas itself. People like to gather for a meal, spend time outside or just relax at home and enjoy the day off. But there are a number of traditions without which it is difficult to imagine this day:

Christmas pantomime performance

In Great Britain, it is customary to hold Christmas performances in the form of pantomime on this day, when the audience guesses the characters. This tradition fills the day with a festive atmosphere, joy and fun. Famous stars often take part in pantomime, who dress up as various characters – favorite characters from movies and fairy tales.

Holiday shopping

Boxing Day is also considered a shopping holiday as stores offer discounted prices and crazy sales. In Great Britain and other countries where the holiday is celebrated, sales are so grandiose that they are not inferior to shopping during Black Friday and Cyber ​​Monday in the USA.

People usually buy electronic gadgets, various sweets, new clothes, household goods. Choose interesting toys for children.

Sports events

Boxing Day is often associated with watching sports. Some leagues in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland host football and rugby matches, while Australia, New Zealand and South Africa host cricket matches. Other sports popular on this day are racing and hockey.

Earlier on this day, fox hunting was organized. However, hunting with dogs was banned in Great Britain in 2004. However, people like to spend this day in nature.

The holiday table

Nothing is prepared on this day, because people finish the leftovers from the Christmas table. This has been the case since ancient times, and there are two reasons for this. First, there are so many dishes prepared for Christmas that you can feast on them for the next week. Secondly, on this day, there were no servants in the houses of the upper strata of society, so it was necessary to finish what was prepared in advance.

Since turkey is considered the centerpiece of the Christmas table, pies and the famous turkey sandwich are often eaten on Boxing Day.

Why do we love this day?

It is difficult to find a person who does not like to give and receive gifts. Besides, this Christmas holiday is full of warmth and fun. People visit stores, hoping to buy nice gifts for their loved ones at discounted prices, play pantomime, enjoy a festive, festive mood.

When will we celebrate Gift Day?