Boxing Day

Boxing Day is a public holiday observed on December 26 in the United Kingdom and several Commonwealth countries. Its traditions include giving gifts to service workers and people in need.

Connect

Christmas box: A gift or gratuity traditionally given at Christmas to a worker, tradesperson, or person providing household services. The holiday’s name is commonly linked to these seasonal gifts.
Boxing Day sales: Post-Christmas retail promotions held on or around December 26 in several countries. Retailers turned the public holiday into a major shopping occasion.
Christmas: An annual Christian festival on December 25 celebrating the birth of Jesus, also widely observed as a cultural holiday. Boxing Day follows Christmas Day and extends its festive period.
Thanksgiving: A harvest and gratitude holiday celebrated on different dates in the United States, Canada, and other countries. It is a national holiday with a different calendar position and historical tradition.
Alms box: A container used to collect charitable donations, often for distribution to people in need. One proposed origin connects Boxing Day with church donations distributed after Christmas.
Boxing Day Test: A cricket Test match traditionally beginning on December 26 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. This annual sporting event is one of Australia’s best-known Boxing Day traditions.
Twelve Days of Christmas: The traditional Christian festive season beginning on Christmas Day and ending on Epiphany. Boxing Day falls within this extended Christmas season.
Black Friday: A major retail sales day held on the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States and elsewhere. It is a comparable shopping event, but occurs before Christmas rather than after it.
Feast of Saint Stephen: A Christian feast day on December 26 commemorating Saint Stephen, traditionally associated with charity. The date overlaps with a feast whose charitable customs may have influenced the holiday.
Boxing Day football: Association football matches played on December 26, especially in England and Scotland. Domestic football fixtures make the holiday a prominent day in the British sporting calendar.