Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national laws. It is observed in Australia, Austria, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and in some Commonwealth nations that have a mainly Christian population. In South Africa, the public holiday 26 December is called Day of Goodwill, in Ireland St Stephen's Day or La an Dreoilin, and in continental European countries the "Second Christmas Day."
Although the same legislation – the Bank Holidays Act 1871 – originally established the bank holidays throughout the United Kingdom, the day after Christmas was defined as Boxing Day in England, Scotland and Wales, and the feast day of St Stephen in Ireland. A 'substitute bank holiday in place of 26 December' is only possible in Northern Ireland, reflecting the legal difference in that St. Stephen's Day does not automatically shift to the Monday in the same way as Boxing Day.
In Canada, Boxing Day is listed in the Canada Labour Code as an optional holiday. Only the province of Ontario has made it a statutory holiday where all workers receive time off with pay
The association of Boxing Day with sport in early village celebrations has led to the folk etymology that Boxing Day traditionally is associated with boxing, although the word box can mean a gift or gratuity, especially one given at Christmas, especially in Britain. In African Commonwealth nations, particularly, Ghana, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia, and Tanzania, prize fighting contests are held on Boxing Day. This practice has also been followed for decades in Guyana and Italy.
In both England and Scotland, it is traditional for the Premier League and Scottish Premier League respectively, as well as the lower divisions and Rugby Football leagues, to hold a full programme of football and Rugby matches on Boxing Day. Traditionally, matches on Boxing Day are played against local rivals. This was originally to avoid teams and their fans having to travel a long distance to an away game on the day after Christmas Day. It also makes the day an important one in the sporting calendar.
In horse racing, there is the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park Racecourse in Surrey. It is the second most prestigious chase in England, after the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Boxing Day is a popular day in the UK and United States for mounted fox hunters. Despite fox hunting being banned by the Hunting Act in 2004, Boxing Day remains the biggest hunt of the year for most hunts in the UK by use of scent drag trails instead of live game.
Australia holds the first day of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the start to the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.
The IIHF World U20 Championship (ice hockey) typically begins on 26 December. In Canada, the tournament is one of the largest sporting events of the year, often drawing comparisons to the Super Bowl in the United States.
The NHL tends to have close to a full slate of games (11 will be played in 2010), following the league-wide days off given for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
The Spengler Cup (ice hockey) also begins on 26 December in Davos, Switzerland, and includes HC Davos, Team Canada, and other top European Hockey teams.
HISTORY
Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated in Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and in some Commonwealth nations that have a mainly Christian population. . It falls on December 26th, which is also St. Stephen's Day.
St. Stephen was a little known saint who achieved eternal fame by being the first Christian to be martyred for his faith, and he met his death by stoning.
Boxing Day is so called because on this day it was the customary for tradesmen to collect their Christmas boxes or gifts in return for good service throughout the year. Also, it included giving money and other gifts to charitable institutions, and the needy.
The holiday may date from as early as the Middle Ages, but the exact origin is not known. It may have begun with the Lords and Ladies of England, who gave Christmas boxes/gifts to their servants on December 26, or maybe by priests, who opened the church's alms (charity boxes), and distributed the contents to the poor and needy.
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