Boxing Day refers to a holiday celebrated by the UK and other Commonwealth countries on the day after Christmas Day. On this particular day, people give out Christmas boxes to friends, family, and those who have less in life or those who are in need. For many people, Boxing Day is an extension of Christmas in terms of gift-giving because the holiday is associated with giving presents that are usually stored in boxes.

Not many people know the origins of why this particular holiday is called Boxing Day. Many people believe that the term “boxing” simply referred to the tradition of giving boxes of presents to other people on this special day.  The day after Christmas is often the time of opening presents and gifts and this day is also traditionally thought of as a day to give away some gifts to the poor or those in need. It has been said that in the past, people that are wealthy or those who are considered blessed will exchange gifts during Christmas Day. The day after Christmas was the time to give gifts to the less fortunate people. Many of these gifts were given in boxes and so many people think of these Christmas boxes as the origin of Boxing Day.

Some people also associate Boxing Day with the Feast of St. Stephen. This feast involved churches putting metal boxes for people’s donations or offerings to the needy. Some people also associate the origins of Boxing Day to the generic boxes for alms that many churches collect especially during Christmas time. Whatever the origins are, people across the UK, Canada, Australia, Hongkong, New Zealand, and South Africa among many others celebrate this day with gift-giving to people in need and even co-workers. It is common for many employers and business owners to give out boxes of presents to their employees during Boxing Day.