Boxing Day is a day of traditions in the UK and even though most Brits have a routine they usually follow for the day, many don’t actually know the reason behind the day.
The day after Christmas is a day for leftover sandwiches, shopping the sales and football fixtures.
Some Boxing Day traditions across the UK include going to football matches, seeing family, eating leftovers, shopping in the sales and even going for a cold-water dip.
Funnily enough, the history of Boxing Day has nothing to do with the sport of boxing and actually goes back to the Victorians, reports MyLondon.
The day reportedly originated from when people who were servants would receive a day off and be able to go home to their relatives.
On these days – starting back in the 18th century – the servants would give Christmas boxes to their families.
The servants themselves would also receive special Christmas boxes from their masters.
Then there are the religious reasons for the day’s name too. Throughout the year, the church would collect money from their churchgoers in an alms box – also known as poor box.
These boxes would be opened up at Christmas and the collections handed out on the next day to the poor.
By distributing the contents from the box the moniker of Boxing Day is also alleged to have derived.
Boxing Day is mainly a celebration by Brits and it’s not really celebrated in the same way by other countries around the world.
The day started in the UK and is not that popular around the world. However, there are many British Commonwealth countries that celebrate Boxing Day like Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
In many European countries, December 26, is Saint Stephen’s Day and is celebrated as a second day of Christmas instead of Boxing Day.
