Boxing Day

In many Commonwealth countries, December 26th is known as Boxing Day.  There's no actual celebration, but it is a holiday for most people.

There's no real consensus as to the origin of the term.

Some historians say that the holiday developed because servants, who were required to work on December 25th, took the following day off.  As they prepared to leave to visit their families, their employers would give them "Christmas Boxes"  of food and gifts to take home with them.

Another theory is that a collection box for the poor was placed in churches on Christmas Day, and then opened and distributed on December 26th.

In the 20th and 21st Centuries, Boxing Day has become the traditional day to shop for discounted merchandise.  Boxing Day sales are a bigger deal in Canada than Black Friday sales in the U.S.  Some stores open as early as 5 a.m., and are packed with shoppers all day, and some organized people will shop for the following year's gifts.


Personally, I always stayed home or went to a movie on Boxing Day.

What's your tradition for December 26th?