Boxing Day is a holiday traditionally celebrated the day following Christmas Day, when servants and tradesmen would receive gifts, known as a "Christmas box."

More about it here:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_Day

You mean I have been missing my Christmas Boxes for all these years??? Somehow I doubt my relatives will pay up if I ask for back-pay. lol.

--EJ

You could always try, Epic! :-)

when I was younger I pictured British People with boxing gloves on and wondered why they liked 'boxing' around Christmas...;-)

I am from the UK where Boxing Day is a recognized holiday on 26th December, and a day that most people have off work. These days it's not exactly celebrated there but is still a recognized public holiday, apparently the historic significance is about boxing up old things to give to the poor after receiving new gifts.
My husband and I were in Jamaica over Christmas this year where they also have Boxing Day! I just can't get used to the fact that most Americans return to work straight away after Christmas Day, it seems way too soon!

We have a holiday on Boxing Day, too, but I reckon 99.9% of people wouldn't know why it's called Boxing Day. I remember learning something about boxing things up and giving them away when I was little. Australia is part of the British Commonwealth so we have the same public holidays as Britain, plus some of our own, every year.

Our shops have huge discount sales on Boxing Day over here. People line up before dawn to get in the doors first!!

Thanks kit, island and kamary...fascinating....I agree island, my husband always takes the day after Christmas off so we can savor the holiday. In my foo we left our Christmas tree up till three kings day (Jan 6). I like the concept of boxing day. I remember seeing a story line on Downton Abby that explained it as well.

This year we celebrated Boxing Day without even knowing it. President Obama declared December 26, 2014 the "After Christmas Day," holiday. I don't know if he even understood what he was doing but boy was it widely cheered here in America. All federal government agencies were closed. I think we should make this permanent by celebrating an official Boxing Day every year. Now if I could only get a few signatures on this petition . . .

hugs,
--EJ

Lovemyson, yeah it's definitely nice to have a day to recover after all the excitement of Christmas Day, and make it last just a little bit longer, typically it's a day for playing board games, watching movies, eating leftovers, that sort of thing. Also, it's true that back in the UK people tend to leave their tree up until the twelve days of Christmas are over, it's considered bad luck to leave the decorations up any later than this.

Epic, oh I didn't realise this, just told my husband and he thinks this happened because Christmas fell on a Thursday this year so making 26th an extra day off giving federal workers a four day weekend. I'm with you, hopefully someday Boxing Day might officially happen over here! Wonder if thanksgiving will ever catch on back home in England?

I remember reading about Boxing Day when a kid (my parents were teachers and Dad was a minister who had a study with shelves of books including the old encyclopedias which I loved to read). Although my ancestors from Britain came over in the mid 1600s, somehow parts of our heritage were passed down (on my mom it was Native Americn family stories). My Dad was a war veteran who traveled extensively befrore marriage and he loved telling us all about other cultures. I miss him dearly. But, I think more and more people in the US are finding these things outs as we get to know one another online.