Unwrap the Fun: 13 Fascinating Facts About Boxing Day You Never Knew!

1. No Punchlines, Just Gratitude

No punchlines here, just good old-fashioned gratitude: Boxing Day, celebrated on December 26th, actually has nothing to do with the sport of boxing. This British-origin tradition involves giving "Christmas boxes" – wooden boxes with a slit on top, much like donation boxes – to tradesmen as a token of appreciation for their year-long service, with the term "boxing" stemming from an old English word meaning "to give." So despite the lack of knockout jokes or uppercuts, this holiday packs a heartfelt punch by continuing the spirit of giving and recognizing essential service providers.
Source => almanac.com

2. Brits Love Black Friday Too

Contrary to popular belief, British shoppers don't box up their love for sales exclusively on Boxing Day, but rather their dollars are blacked out in an American way: Statistics show that a staggering 70% of UK shoppers expressed interest in the Black Friday sales frenzy, outpacing the excitement they display for their own traditional post-Christmas shopping event, Boxing Day.
Source => business.twitter.com

Did you know that in Switzerland, Santa Claus teams up with a golden-haired angel called the Christkind to make sure every child's Christmas wishes are granted? Discover more fascinating Swiss Christmas traditions!

=> Fun Facts about Christmas-In-Switzerland

3. No Post on Boxing Day

While Paul Revere might not shout this from the rooftops, you'll find less galloping of horses in the UK and Ireland on a certain "pugilistic" day after Christmas: On Boxing Day, post offices are closed in the UK and Ireland due to it being a public holiday, with no parcel collection or deliveries. In the US, however, post office hours run normally on this day, except in 2023 when the 26th of December will be treated as a substitute holiday for Christmas Day, keeping post offices closed.
Source => eurosender.com

4. Bizarre Boxing Day Traditions

When the going gets tough, the British get eccentric: Boxing Day in the UK and Ireland is not only about sports but also an extension of Christmas celebrations, featuring an eclectic mix of pantomimes, plays, variety shows, and downright bizarre traditions like icy swims in the English Channel, fun runs, and charity events.
Source => mountainstatescollector.com

5. Santa's Moonlighting Side Gig

Santa's lesser-known side gig: moonlighting as a gift distributor for the less fortunate! In an act worthy of Saint Nicholas himself, churchgoers in Great Britain would place boxes of alms in churches for the poor, giving rise to what we now know as Boxing Day: a public holiday celebrated in various countries on December 26, with ties to late Roman/early Christian traditions and Saint Stephen's day. Though Americans may mostly miss out on this post-Christmas merriment, Canadians and others extend their yuletide cheer with a festive blend of philanthropy and post-holiday shopping sprees.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. Fox-Free Hunts

Who let the (non) foxes out? Woof, woof, woof, woof! Despite the ban on fox hunting with dogs in England and Wales, over 300 hunts cleverly evolve on Boxing Day by switching from chasing real foxes to following trails scented like foxes: All in an effort to comply with the law, 250,000 people gather, in mildly amusing, dry weather, with the South Pembrokeshire hunt in Wales drawing a crowd worthy of an inoffensive rock concert - all 700 of them!
Source => reuters.com

7. Post-Yuletide Retail Therapy

If you thought Christmas feasting was over after just one day, then you're in for a treat: Boxing Day, celebrated on December 26th, traditionally boasts a cornucopia of quirky pastimes such as fox hunting, horse racing, and the not-so-glamorous gift-giving to tradespeople in countries like the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa – but nowadays, it's more about grabbing those post-Yuletide retail deals!
Source => greatbritishchefs.com

8. Cardboard Carnage Myths

While you might assume that Boxing Day is about all those empty cardboard carnage left behind after Santa's yearly visit, the truth is far from the rumble in the recycling: In actuality, this post-Christmas holiday has medieval European roots, centered around the noble act of providing gifts to the less privileged, possibly linked to the Feast of Saint Stephen, and is now a staple in Great Britain and its former colonies, complete with bustling sales and festive cheer.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

9. Quebec Time-Traveling DeLorean

Fearing mutant weekends that refuse to comply with the calendar, Quebec's government keeps Boxing Day in its time-traveling DeLorean, on the hunt for a wild 26th of December: In Quebec, Canada, Boxing Day is celebrated every year on December 26th as a public holiday and doesn't depend on whether it falls on a weekday or a weekend, though the exact dates for long weekends may vary based on government decisions.
Source => holidayapi.com

10. Victorian Glove Traditions

In "boxing" history, the only gloves involved were those worn by Victorian tradespeople handling clay money boxes: Boxing Day actually originated in England as a time to give small monetary gifts to service providers, placed snugly inside earthenware or clay containers. Eschewing fisticuffs for festive cheer, this delightful tradition grew to encompass appreciation for all who had rendered aid throughout the year, evolving into a public holiday across multiple British-affiliated nations, and also honoring good St. Stephen on December 26 with horse races and some light-hearted wren hunting.
Source => encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com

11. Rocky Balboa's European Rival

Step aside, Rocky Balboa: there's a champ in town who packs a meaner punch than you ever could! It's none other than Boxing Day, a holiday that has been celebrated across Europe – from Austria to Slovenia – as a public holiday, with festive flair and shopping frenzies. The knockout truth: Boxing Day aligns with St. Stephen's Day on December 26th, but don't confuse the two; while St. Stephen's Day honors a Christian saint, Boxing Day originated in England as a day for giving gifts and grabbing deals, making it a heavyweight champion in the world of holidays.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

12. Royal Boxing Day Affairs

Ever wondered how the royals celebrate Boxing Day while clad in their robes and custom-made wellies? Well, wish no more: On Boxing Day, the royal family at Sandringham estate kick off the day with a hearty breakfast of kedgeree, bacon, and eggs before partaking in traditional outdoor pursuits like shooting, riding, and strolling around the estate, even participating in a pheasant shoot that the Queen herself is known to relish!
Source => hellomagazine.com

13. Glove Up and Blessings Down

Hold on to your gloves, folks, because we're about to give you the ol' one-two about Boxing Day: You won't find any fancy footwork or knockouts here; it's actually a holiday of generosity, where Christians give to the needy as a way to show gratitude for the blessings they've received throughout the year, and in return, they believe it attracts more divine abundance.
Source => absradiotv.com