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The Tale of Boxing Day

Saturday, 26 December 2020 09:00

By Amy Newson

Discover the story of Boxing Day (everyone’s favourite day of additional festive fun) and make yours extra special this year

Don’t you love waking up the day after Christmas, realising that there’s another day of festivities ahead? Boxing Day is celebrated as a national holiday on the 26th December in the UK and Ireland, while its naming dates back to the Victorian era. On this day, staff working in the houses of the wealthy would be given time off to visit their family as they would’ve spent Christmas Day serving dinner and looking after their employers’ needs, and they would be given a box of gifts and leftover food to take with them as a special present.

For the wealthy family, activities on this day would include horse racing and fox hunting. Boxing Day is also known as the feast of Saint Stephen, the patron saint of horses, so sports involving horses were abundant.

Nowadays, Boxing Day has developed into a day to spend some quality time with family and is often a day where people continue their Christmas celebrations by venturing out for a walk in the crisp air or to enjoy some form of entertainment.

Think (in years past) of a drink in your favourite local pub by the fire or watching a play or pantomime. If you’re feeling brave enough, you could always join in the tradition of swimming in the icy cold English Channel. Alternatively, just relaxing in front of the TV for a family film and a glass of wine is more than acceptable – I know which one I’d choose!

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