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A significant holiday that is celebrated across the world on the 26th of December every year, Boxing Day is all about Christmas gifts, and charity drives. A day that is primarily associated with the British Commonwealth countries, Boxing Day is now celebrated by most countries across the world. A British tradition that has now spread to a number of other countries as well, here’s all you need to know about Boxing Day and how to celebrate it.
Boxing Day - Meaning and significance
Quite unlike the name suggests, Boxing Day has nothing to do with the sport of boxing. An important day that is also recognised as a public holiday in many parts of the world, Boxing Day is celebrated right after Christmas. With the 26th of December being recognised as the Boxing Day date, this day actually began with the custom of donating to the needy and as a day dedicated towards charity. Boxing Day meaning is actually associated with boxes since in the olden times, people used to donate boxes full of gifts to the poor and needy on this day. Some historians are also of the belief that the Boxing Day significance is attributed to the small boxes of alms which used to be placed under the church doors and were meant for donation and as help to the poor during Advent, and that is how Boxing Day gets its name.
With the Boxing Day significance having changed a lot throughout the year, the Boxing Day meaning is not the same anymore. Having evolved and gained a commercial meaning through the years, Boxing Day is now largely recognised as the time of the year that is associated with big sales and shopping. With worldwide sales and discounts that last until the end of the month, Boxing Day and what it is now is largely associated with shopping and having a good time.
What happens on Boxing Day?
Sporting events are a common thing that takes place on World Boxing Day. A tradition that primarily began in the UK, Boxing Day sports activities include football and rugby matches. Since Saint Stephen's Day is also observed on the same day as Boxing Day, horse races are also a common event that take place on this day since Saint Stephens was believed to be a patron of horses. There is also a cricket test match that is observed on Boxing Day each year, where one country plays against the other.
Fox hunts are also a big part of Boxing Day traditions. Although this activity has been banned now, there are hunters who gather together, dressed in their finest coats and follow a designated artificial trail. Others celebrate this day by celebrating with the leftovers from the Christmas feasts from the day before.
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How to celebrate Boxing Day?
The festive season surely does not end with Christmas. Make the most of Boxing Day with some of the best things to do
Go out on a winter walk
Even though the weather might be freezing, and you would feel that the atmosphere outside is too cold to be comfortable, winter walks can still prove to be surprisingly beautiful despite all this. With less crowd around, spending some quality time with your friends and family during this time of the year can actually be a rather refreshing start. So, this year on World Boxing Day head out for a walk to feel rejuvenated and bring in the new year in full swing.
Help out the ones in need
A day that is known to have started as a charity endeavour, you can always celebrate Boxing Day by carrying forward the same tradition. Donate to those who are in need and distribute gifts and essentials to the less privileged to make the most out of the day. You can also take part as a volunteer through the various charitable organisations that carry out donations and food drives for the less fortunate.
Shop till your heart’s content
That time of the year when stores are finally back with their much-awaited sales, there surely isn't a better way to spend Boxing Day than by indulging in some shopping spree. With the various shopping chains and large stores giving the best discounts, Boxing Day makes up for the perfect time of the year to shop for yourself and your loved ones.
Spend the day playing or watching sports
With a number of sports activities that traditionally take place on Boxing Day, a great way to spend this day is by indulging in some sports activities yourself or watching matches with your friends and family. Football matches are an integral part of Boxing Day, organise a neighbourhood game or challenge your family for a match to make the most out of this day. You can also attend horse races for that adrenaline rush as you watch your favourite team performing.
Go ice skating
A great time to go ice skating, hitting the skating rink on Boxing Day is surely a classic thing to do. Lace up your boots and slide around to have a memorable time.
Disclaimer: The details mentioned throughout this blog are sourced from publicly accessible platforms. At Zeezest, we intend to share factual and verified information. Should there be any inconsistencies or variances in the information provided, please understand that these are entirely unintentional and not meant to mislead.