What do you know about Boxing Day?

(Baonghean.vn) - The Christmas holiday season is not only welcomed and celebrated on December 24 and 25. In addition to the warm, loving atmosphere with family to share the happy and sad stories of life, people in Western countries also eagerly look forward to December 26 - Boxing Day.

1. Origin of Boxing Day

Boxing Day gifts galore.

Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated annually on December 26. The origin of the name “Boxing Day” comes from the fact that in the Middle Ages, after Christmas, upper-class families would take the leftover food and fruit from the previous day, put them in boxes, carefully wrap them and give them to the families of their servants and to those in need.

Not only that, after Christmas Eve, the bosses also gave the "maids" a day off to go home and gather with their relatives. Therefore, Boxing Day also has another name: Christmas of the poor. Interestingly, this day also coincides with the Memorial Day of Saint San Esteban, one of the most important holidays in England.

The second theory is that Boxing Day originated from the tradition of opening charity boxes in churches every Christmas season, which were then distributed to the poor by priests the day after Christmas.

2. Characteristics of Boxing Day

Traditionally, fox hunting was a popular sport among the upper classes on this day.

Boxing Day is also an important day for sporting events. Fox hunting was traditionally a popular sport among the upper classes on this day. The image of hunters on horseback wearing red cloaks and surrounded by hounds is a common symbol of Boxing Day.

However, new laws have been introduced to prevent this tradition from harming the wild animals. Instead, horse racing and football are popular events on Boxing Day.

3. Boxing Day is a time for family and shopping

Boxing Day is also a time for families to get together to eat, drink, and share their love. Government offices and small businesses are closed, but shopping malls remain open and are filled with people exchanging gifts or shopping for post-Christmas sales such as cards, presents, and decorations. It is also a day for people to visit relatives, watch sports matches, or play games with their families. Picnics and travel are also popular choices for many people on this day.

Hundreds of people queued hoping to be the first customers when the store opened on Boxing Day.

In recent times, the Boxing Day tradition has been renewed and many people see it as an opportunity to do some shopping for the new year. Every year, hundreds of people line up at shopping malls hoping to be the first in line when the doors open to get the best deals.

4. Wren Hunt Day

Illustration photo.

It is considered bad luck to kill a wren on Boxing Day. Traditionally, a group of young men would hunt wrens on a decorated pole and then go door to door singing, asking for money, gifts and food.

Those who donated money received a wren feather as a thank you. And to this day, young wren hunters still go around town in strange costumes – men and women changing clothes – singing carols and collecting donations, but no longer killing innocent birds, but instead cherishing them in cages.

5. In which countries does Boxing Day take place?

A Man Utd fan in Boxing Day attire.

Boxing Day has become very popular in some English-speaking countries for two reasons: It is a busy shopping day as all the shops have “big sales”, similar to January 7 in some other countries, and there are many sports and entertainment activities on this day; in England it is mainly focused on two sports: football and horse racing, with accompanying betting activities.

In Canada, Boxing Day is included in the Canada Labour Code as an optional day. Only the province of Ontario has made it a statutory holiday and employees are entitled to paid time off.

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