| Revision as of 23:37, 26 December 2003 editRobert Merkel (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users8,348 edits explain the boxing day test match in a little more detail...bloody Sehwag spoiling a good day ;)← Previous edit | Revision as of 16:24, 27 December 2003 edit undo62.64.228.196 (talk) Correction: Boxing Day cannot occur on a SundayNext edit → | ||
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| 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 ], after the family celebrations. These were generally called their ] boxes. Another story is that this is the day that priests broke open the collection boxes and distributed the money to the poor. | 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 ], after the family celebrations. These were generally called their ] 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 |
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. Boxing Day itself remains on the 26th if that is a Saturday, but moves to the Monday if the 26th is a Sunday (the Sunday in question being referred to as Christmas Sunday). | ||
| In Canada, Boxing Day is also observed as a public holiday, and is a day when stores, especially electronics stores, sell their excess Christmas inventory at radically reduced prices. Boxing Day has become so important for retailers that they often | In Canada, Boxing Day is also observed as a public holiday, and is a day when stores, especially electronics stores, sell their excess Christmas inventory at radically reduced prices. Boxing Day has become so important for retailers that they often extend it into a Boxing Week. | ||
| extend it into a Boxing Week. | |||
| In Ireland, the 26th is known as ]'s Day or ]. | In Ireland, the 26th is known as ]'s Day or ]. | ||
Revision as of 16:24, 27 December 2003
Boxing Day is a holiday observed in the United Kingdom and much of the Commonwealth on December 26.
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 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. Boxing Day itself remains on the 26th if that is a Saturday, but moves to the Monday if the 26th is a Sunday (the Sunday in question being referred to as Christmas Sunday).
In Canada, Boxing Day is also observed as a public holiday, and is a day when stores, especially electronics stores, sell their excess Christmas inventory at radically 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.