What do you know about Boxing Day?

(Baonghean.vn) - The Christmas season is not only celebrated on December 24th and 25th. Besides the warm and loving atmosphere with family, sharing stories of joy and sorrow, people in Western countries eagerly await December 26th - Boxing Day.

1. The Origin of Boxing Day

Gifts galore for Boxing Day!

Boxing Day is an annual holiday celebrated on December 26th. The name "Boxing Day" originates from the Middle Ages, when, after Christmas, wealthy families would carefully pack leftover food and fruit into boxes and give them to their servants and those in need.

Moreover, after Christmas Eve, employers would give their domestic helpers a whole day off to return home and celebrate with their families. Therefore, Boxing Day also has another name: Christmas of the poor. Interestingly, this day also coincides with the Feast of St. 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 placed in churches each Christmas season. The money would then be distributed to the poor by the priests immediately after Christmas Day.

2. Characteristics of Boxing Day

Traditionally, dog-walking fox hunting was a popular pastime among the upper class on this day.

Boxing Day is also an important day for sporting events. Traditionally, dog-hunting fox hunting was a popular sport among the upper class on this day. The image of hunters on horseback wearing red cloaks, surrounded by hunting dogs, is a common symbol of Boxing Day.

However, nowadays, new laws have been enacted to prevent this tradition from negatively impacting wildlife. Instead, horse racing and football are the popular events on Boxing Day.

3. Boxing Day is a time for family and shopping.

Boxing Day is also a time for family members to gather, eat, and share moments together. Government offices and small businesses close, but shopping malls remain open and are filled with people exchanging gifts or shopping for discounted post-Christmas items like cards, presents, and decorations. It's also a day for people to visit relatives, watch sporting events, or play games with family. Picnics and travel are also popular choices on this day.

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

Recently, the tradition of Boxing Day has been modernized, and many people see it as an opportunity to shop for the new year. Every year, hundreds of people line up at shopping malls hoping to be the first customers when stores open to buy discounted and high-quality items.

4. Finch Hunting Day

Illustrative image.

Killing a finch outside of Boxing Day is considered bad luck. Traditionally, a group of young men would hunt finches on a beautifully decorated pole, then go door-to-door singing to ask for money, gifts, and food.

Those who contributed money would receive a finch feather as a thank you. And to this day, young finch hunters still roam around town in their peculiar costumes—men and women exchanging clothes—singing celebratory songs and collecting donations, but no longer killing the innocent birds; instead, they cherish them in cages.

5. In which countries is Boxing Day celebrated?

A Manchester United fan in Boxing Day attire.

Boxing Day has gradually become very popular in some English-speaking countries for two reasons: It's a bustling shopping day with all stores offering "big discounts," similar to January 7th in some other countries, and there are many sporting and recreational activities on this day; in England, the focus is mainly on two sports: football and horse racing, with accompanying betting activities.

In Canada, Gift Day is included in the Canadian Labour Code as an optional day. Only the province of Ontario mandates it as a paid day off for employees.

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