What is Boxing Day and how did it get its name?
In Britain and other countries like Australia and Canada, the day after Christmas is a secular national holiday known as Boxing Day. Here’s a brief look at some theories about how the holiday got its name and how people celebrate it: NO NEED FOR BOXING GLOVES While no one seems to know for sure how it came to be called Boxing Day, it definitely has nothing to do with the sport of boxing. Perhaps the most widely held understanding of its origins comes from the tradition of wealthier members of society giving servants and tradesmen a so-called “Christmas Box” containing money and gifts on the day after Christmas. In its place, “Boxing Day Sales” have flourished, with many Britons lifted from their post-Christmas torpor by the lure of low prices in department stores.







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