Now I know most of you have thought I have lost my mind and why in the world would I have a post like this. I was chatting with a friend of mine from Australia and he was saying that Christmas was almost of there and that they were getting ready to celebrate Boxing Day.

So having never heard of this before we started chatting and this is just a wonderful tradition and wanted to share with everyone. It is so interesting what we can learn by chatting with people from all over the world – oh I just love it.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia – Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday occurring on 26 December that is observed in Australia, Austria, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and in some Commonwealth of Nations with a mainly Christian population. In South Africa the public holiday 26 December is called Day of Goodwill, in Ireland St Stephen’s Day or Lá an Dreoilín, and in continental European countries the “Second Christmas Day.”

Though it is not an official holiday in the United States, the term “Boxing Day” is used by some Americans, particularly those who live near the Canada – United States border. In Canada, Boxing Day is listed in the Canada Labour Code as an optional holiday. Only in the province of Ontario has it been made a statutory holiday where all workers receive the time off with pay.

Some historians say the holiday developed because servants were required to work on Christmas Day, but took the following day off. As servants prepared to leave to visit their families, their employers would present them with gift boxes.

Another theory is that the boxes placed in churches where parishioners deposited coins for the poor were opened and the contents distributed on December 26, which is also the Feast of St. Stephen.

As time went by, Boxing Day gift giving expanded to include those who had rendered a service during the previous year. This tradition survives today as people give presents to tradesmen, mail carriers, doormen, porters, and others who have helped them.

I know not what you were expecting with the term “boxing” huh – I really think this is very interesting to learn about. Traditionally, the celebration of Boxing Day included giving money or other donations to the needy, charitable organizations, or people employed in service jobs. Or individuals may follow the traditional spirit of Boxing Day by donating their time, energy, or money to charitable organizations such as food banks, or provide them to underprivileged children or a needy relative.

Unfortunately, like with most holdays, he also said that it’s has gotten to be just another paid day off for some and many don’t practice the tradition and that is a shame. But we all see that here also – how people miss the true meaning of the holidays. This day has become much like our Black Friday and is a great day to shop for bargins and great after Christmas sales also.

Learn more about Boxing Day but clicking here Video about Boxing Day

I found this was not much different that our January Polar Plunge – enjoy Tenby Boxing Day Swim

So now that we all know about Boxing Day – what are you going to do on “Boxing Day”