Boxing Day: Why is it celebrated a day after Christmas? Know here

Boxing Day falls on December 26, the day after Christmas which is a recognised holiday in the United Kingdom as well as many other former and present British territories. This Boxing Day is predominantly a British custom, that the UK has spread to countries like Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. In those countries, Boxing Day has mostly evolved into a day for shopping and sporting activities.

The term "Christmas boxes" refers to the custom of giving money or other presents to slaves and tradesmen the day after Christmas.

The tradition started when employers would send boxes filled with gifts, bonuses, and occasionally leftover food to servants who had to serve their masters on Christmas Day but were then permitted to see their family the next day. The custom has been also mentioned in a 1663 entry from Samuel Pepys’ diaries.


Boxing Day has developed into a significant shopping spree in the nations where it is observed, much like the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States. The day also draws a record number of consumers to England, some of whom are returning presents but are mostly drawn by door-buster post-holiday deals.



To take advantage of the lower pricing, some people wait until Boxing Day to purchase their Christmas gifts. In recent years, Black Friday in November, a custom imported from America, has replaced it as the biggest shopping day of the year for the British. Another custom involves many rural inhabitants going fox-hunting on Boxing Day, which is often followed or preceded by a warm beverage at the local tavern.

Boxing Day is a statutory holiday in the UK and several of its former colonies. On the other hand, if it occurs on a Saturday or Sunday, the following Monday is designated as the official holiday.

FAQs:

1. When is Boxing Day observed?
   It is observed on December 26.
2. When is it celebrated if it falls on the weekend?
   It is celebrated on Monday if it falls on a weekend.