How Did Boxing Day Get Its Name?

(CTN News) – Boxing Day: Many countries have a holiday that happens to fall on the day right after Christmas every year — a date that is easy to remember since it falls on the day just after Christmas every year.

Boxing Day may be as well known as Christmas Day, but what exactly does it mean?

For more information about this holiday, please scroll down to the bottom of the page.

What is the place where Boxing Day is celebrated?

In spite of the fact that Boxing Day is not celebrated in the United States, it is celebrated in Canada, England, Australia, New Zealand and other Commonwealth countries.

This is according to Almanac.com. Due to the fact that this day is considered to be a national holiday in these countries, most offices are closed on this day.

Origins of Boxing Day

There has been a tradition of giving gifts on Boxing for centuries in Britain, which originated hundreds of years ago.

As described in Encyclopedia Britannica, it was traditionally a holiday celebrated by servants and tradespeople in which they would receive gifts, commonly in the form of “Christmas boxes,” which generally contained money or goods in appreciation of their years of service.

It has also been suggested that the holiday got its name from the practice of churches opening their donation boxes on the day after Christmas.

This practice gave whatever donations were collected to the needy, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. This is one example of how the holiday got its name.

Irish Boxing Day is celebrated on the 26th of December

In Ireland, Boxing is also known as St. Stephen’s Day.

This is due to the saint who was a missionary in Sweden and was known for his affinity for animals, especially horses.

According to Almanac.com, he was also well liked by horses.

Many countries around the world have considered the 26th of December to be the day when horses are blessed in church for hundreds of years. This is according to Habitat for Horses.

It is Boxing Day today, which is a big deal

Boxing Day is now closely compared to “Black Friday” as it has become associated with shopping and sporting events, namely those involving horses (see above for a description of ‘Boxing Day in Ireland’), by the end of the 21st century according to Almanac.com.

It is important to note, however, that despite its name, a popular sporting event that occurs on a holiday does NOT include boxing.

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