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Boxing Day is observed as a public holiday in the United Kingdom and several Commonwealth countries, including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
The name’s origin is traced back to a time when servants, tradespeople, and the less fortunate received gifts. According to Britannica, theories about its name range from churches collecting alms for the poor to employers gifting boxes to their workers on the day after Christmas, as servants worked on Christmas day.
Contrary to its name, Boxing Day has no connection to the sport of boxing. The day is celebrated by taking time off work and school, allowing families to come together for meals, relaxation, attendance at sporting events, or engaging in shopping. Traditional Boxing Day foods include baked ham, pease pudding, and mince pies.
Countries that partake in Boxing Day celebrations include England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and former British colonies and Commonwealth nations such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and South Africa.
Why doesn’t America celebrate Boxing Day?
The United States does not observe Boxing Day, and this absence is attributed to the country having established its own Christmas holidays. Thanksgiving Day, initiated in November 1798, serves as a day of gratitude for “livelihood and good health” throughout the year in the U.S. Additionally, the day after Thanksgiving is marked by Black Friday, a prominent shopping and sales day, unlike the UK’s tradition of celebrating the day after Christmas.