Boxing Day (26/12)

Boxing Day (English. Boxing Day is a — holiday celebrated in the UK and in a number of countries of the British Commonwealth of Nations: Australia, New Zealand, Canada the day after Christmas — on December 26th.

Nowadays, its distinctive feature is gigantic sales in large and small stores. It is on Boxing Day that you can purchase any item you like at half price. Which people enjoy using.

However, the roots of this holiday are more than chaste. There are many theories regarding the emergence of Boxing Day, but everyone agrees that the holiday began with the custom of giving money and gifts to people of lower social status. Gifts were exchanged among their own kind on the eve of Christmas, but the poor received gifts last. Gifts were given in boxes, hence the name — Boxing Day (English box — box).

Only in the last century did Boxing Day become an official holiday. The combination of two holidays — Christmas and Boxing Day — further strengthened the tradition of families gathering for Christmas.

In a number of countries, Boxing Day is also filled with significant sporting events. Thus, in Australia it is also becoming a significant sports day (similar in intensity to the ANZAC Day ceremonies). Melbourne hosts a test match on the main cricket field, and Sydney begins the annual Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, which is called an icon of Australian summer sports, and which rivals in popularity such high-profile events as the Davis Cup (tennis) and Melbourne Cup (horse racing).

Boxing Day — is the most important day for fox hunting enthusiasts in the UK and US, as the day sees the largest number of hunter meetings and fox hunts. Every year, on December 26, the World Junior Ice Hockey Championship, organized by the International Hockey Federation, starts, and on this day matches of one of the rounds of the major leagues of the English, Scottish and Northern Irish football championships are held, and in African member countries of the Commonwealth of Nations — boxing matches among professionals.

By the way, Catholics have a holiday similar to Boxing Day, which is also celebrated on December 26, — St. Stephen's Day. It has similar traditions, so these holidays are often confused with each other.



Postcard «December 26 — Boxing Day» Article «What to give to yourself and others to be happy?» Story «The most expensive gifts»

1526