Boxing Day

Boxing Day is a national holiday in the UK celebrated on December the 26th and it is another day to spend with family and friends eating up the leftovers, but its origins are steeped in history and tradition.

Boxing Day is a time to spend with family or friends, usually those not seen on Christmas Day itself.

In recent times the day has become synonymous with sport. Horse racing is particularly popular with meets all over the country. Many top football teams also play on Boxing Day.

Boxing Day is also a time when the British show their true eccentricity taking part in all kinds of silly activities like swimming the English Channel - not the warmest place on December 26th - fun runs and charity events.

Until 2004, Boxing Day hunts were a traditional part of Boxing Day but the ban on fox hunting has put an end to the hunt in its traditional sense. Hunters will still gather dressed resplendently in red hunting coats to the sound of the hunting horn but it is now forbidden in law to chase the fox with dogs, so the dogs now follow artificially laid trails.

Another ‘sport’ to emerge in recent years is shopping. Sadly what was once a day of relaxation and family time sees the start of the sales. Sales used to start in January post-New Year but the desire to grab a bargain and for shops to off-load stock means many now start on Boxing Day.

It is not clear why it is called boxing Day, but there are several arguments:

• A ‘Christmas Box’ in Britain is a name for a Christmas present.
• Boxing Day was a day off for servants and when they received a ‘Christmas Box’ from the master. The servants would also go home to give ‘Christmas Boxes’ to their families.
• A box to collect money for the poor was placed in Churches on Christmas day then opened the next day.
• Great sailing ships when setting sail would have a sealed box containing money on board for good luck.If the voyage were a success the box was given to a priest, opened at Christmas and the contents given to the poor.

Adapted from http://britishfood.about.com/od/christmas/p/boxingday.htm