| Revision as of 15:34, 14 December 2004 editKjnpbr (talk | contribs)179 edits Boxing day cannot be on a Sunday, which is the Christian Sabbath← Previous edit | Revision as of 17:29, 14 December 2004 edit undoGschmidl (talk | contribs)33 edits added info on Austrian customNext edit → | ||
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| In Australia, ] (]) starting on ] is called the Boxing Day Test Match, and is played at the ] before the largest, rowdiest crowd of the summer. In ], the annual ], one of the biggest and most prestigious ocean racing events in the world, begins on this day, as the yachts depart ] before many thousands of spectators around the harbour and in spectator boats. | In Australia, ] (]) starting on ] is called the Boxing Day Test Match, and is played at the ] before the largest, rowdiest crowd of the summer. In ], the annual ], one of the biggest and most prestigious ocean racing events in the world, begins on this day, as the yachts depart ] before many thousands of spectators around the harbour and in spectator boats. | ||
| In Germany, the 26th is known as the second day of Christmas (''"der zweite Weihnachtsfeiertag"'') and also a public holiday. | In Germany, the 26th is known as the second day of Christmas (''"der zweite Weihnachtsfeiertag"'' or ''Stefanitag'' in Austria) and also a public holiday. | ||
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Revision as of 17:29, 14 December 2004
Boxing Day is a holiday observed in many European and Commonwealth countries on 26 December.
There is much dispute over the true origins of Boxing Day, but one common story of the holiday's origins is that servants used to receive Christmas gifts from their employers on the first weekday after Christmas, usually December 26, after the family celebrations. These were generally called their Christmas boxes. Another story is that this is the day that priests broke open the collection boxes and distributed the money to the poor.
Boxing Day is now a public holiday in the UK, and traditionally a day of sport. Like other public holidays which may occur on a non-working day, the "day off" will occur on the first day after the public holiday that would otherwise be a working day. Thus if Boxing Day is a Saturday then 28 December will be a public holiday. While if Christmas Day falls on a Saturday then Boxing day will be on Monday, 27 December, because Sunday is the Christian Sabbath (alot of calanders get this fact wrong) and Tuesday 28 December will be a public holiday to account for Christmas Day being on a non-working day.
In Canada, Boxing Day is also observed as a public holiday, and is a day when stores sell their excess Christmas inventory at significantly reduced prices. Boxing Day has become so important for retailers that they often extend it into a Boxing Week.
In Ireland, the 26th is known as St Stephen's Day or Wren's Day.
In Australia, Test match (cricket) starting on December 26 is called the Boxing Day Test Match, and is played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground before the largest, rowdiest crowd of the summer. In Sydney, the annual Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race, one of the biggest and most prestigious ocean racing events in the world, begins on this day, as the yachts depart Sydney Harbour before many thousands of spectators around the harbour and in spectator boats.
In Germany, the 26th is known as the second day of Christmas ("der zweite Weihnachtsfeiertag" or Stefanitag in Austria) and also a public holiday.
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