Enjoy the Boxing Day Holiday.
Have fun on Boxing Day!
Boxing Day is a traditional British holiday dating back 800 years.Boxing Day Holiday falls the day after Christmas, on 26 December.
If you don't know what Boxing Day is all about, find out here. If you're from a country that celebrates Boxing Day, I'd love to hear from you.
Boxing Day has always been a day for fun, and mad events such as midwinter swims, sometimes in fancy dress ( left) are found all over Britain.
The name "Boxing Day" comes from the tradition of giving Christmas "boxes" or gifts, to the poor. In the past, churches had clay collection boxes which were broken open after Christmas Day, and the gifts and money given to the poor and needy. This was usually done the day after Christmas on 26 December, which then became known as "Boxing Day".
Boxing Day has nothing to do with the sport of boxing!
In the rich and aristocratic households in days gone by, the servants were gathered together on Boxing Day, and Christmas boxes of gifts or money were distributed to the workers.They were then allowed to have the rest of the day as holiday to spend with their family.
Today, some of the old Boxing Day traditions still survive, and many new ones have sprung up.
Christmas Day is usually spent quietly with the family. Boxing Day is the day to get outside, whatever the weather. Watch sport. Play sport. Have fun!
There are so many things to do on Boxing Day.If you know of something in your area please add to the guestbook.
Intro photo thanks to Lord Biro, under flickr creative commons commercial use license
The History of Boxing Day
Boxing Day on 26 December is also St Stephen's Day- the Feast of Stephen
Boxing Day is the name given to the day after Christmas,the 26 December . It is also St Stephen's Day, or the Feast of Stephen.
It became known as Boxing Day in Britain following the old custom of giving Christmas gifts, or boxes, to the poor on this day.
In recent history,the Boxing Day tradition remains of giving Christmas gifts, still known as "a Christmas box" to tradespeople who call at your door- the postman, the dustbin man ( refuse collector), the milkman and the paperboy still call at many houses in Britain, and an envelope (the modern Christmas box) with some neatly folded cash always meets with approval and helps to guarantee good service during the coming year! This is not usually done now on the exact day, 26 December, as Boxing Day is a holiday, but the gifts are still called Christmas boxes.
The Christmas Carol, Good King Wenceslas, tells how the King went out on the Feast of Stephen, to give alms to the poor. King Wenceslas was King of Bohemia in the 10th Century., known for his generosity to the poor.
"Good King Wenceslas looked out, on the Feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even..."
So begins the famous carol, written by English clergyman John Mason Neele, published in 1853.
Boxing Day is also St Stephen's Day in the Church calendar
The Christmas Carol, Good King Wenceslas, tells how the King went out on the Feast of Stephen, to give alms to the poor. King Wenceslas was King of Bohemia in the 10th Century., known for his generosity to the poor.
"Good King Wenceslas looked out, on the Feast of Stephen
When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even..."
So begins the famous carol, written by English clergyman John Mason Neele, published in 1853.
Good Kind Wenceslas on the Feast of Stephen, 26 December
What do you do on Boxing Day?
Does your Boxing Day look like the picture below? Surrounded by gifts, tired, a bit satiated and fed up?
Well, if it does, make a change this year. Get out and do something exciting.
IMO these children need to get out for a brisk walk in the fresh air.
The Day after Christmas aka Boxing Day
Wrap the children up on Boxing Day with this Harry Potter hat and scarf - Warm clothes are essential in the Northern Hemisphere
Boxing Day is usually cold in the Northern Hemisphere. If, like me, you'll spend the day outside whatever the weather, the whole family needs to be toasty warm and cosy.
This Hogwar'ts hat and scarf set would be a great Christmas present for a Harry Potter fan.
Traditional Boxing Day Food.
Enjoy a great spread with no cooking on Boxing Day
Cold meats, delicious pies, pickles and chutneys make the Boxing Day buffet and easy but fabulous meal.
From Canada- a slice of pork pie and chutney- perfect for Boxing Day.
Our Boxing Day buffet.
On the day after Christmas Day, Boxing Day, the 26 December, it has always been the tradition to enjoy a meal with the minimum of cooking.
In the stately homes of England, the servants would leave a cold buffet for the guests to enjoy whilst they had the day off.
These days, the cook needs a day off after the Christmas meal, so a cold buffet is very much a Boxing Day Tradition.
Our Boxing Day meal usually includes;
Cold turkey, salmon, ham, quiches, pork pie, game pie
Winter salads, pickles, chutneys, relishes
Maybe some baby new potatoes in their jackets or french fries (frozen- no peeling!) Jacket potatoes are perfect too.
A huge fruit bowl.
Traditional cheeses such as Blue Stilton or Tasty Lancashire with crackers
Christmas cake ( eaten with cheese in the North of England)
Mince pies
Sherry trifle- it's a great Boxing Day Tradition. click here for my best ever sherry trifle recipe
It's a huge, timeless meal. Everything can be collected together days in advance. and nothing can spoil so it can be eaten whenever people get back from the day's activities.
Go to a big Boxing Day Sporting Fixture - All over the UK there are top sporting events happening on Boxing Day.
Football ( Soccer)
There is a full programme of Football ( soccer) matches throughout the UK on Boxing Day. If my team, Manchester United, are playing at home, I'll be there! Lots of supporters wear Santa Hats, and at Old Trafford we will sing along to the Twelve Days of Christmas- only chaning the words to praise our legend, Eric Cantona! This year Manchester United host Newcastle United on Boxing Day. All around the country football fans love the Boxing Day Fixtures.
I'll be updating this as the fixture lists are available.
Photo of Old Trafford, Home of Manchester United , thanks to John Harvey on Geograph creative commons for commercial reuse
Horse Racing
Boxing Day is a big day in the horse racing calender.Watch this space for 2013 meeitngs.
Rugby Union
There will be some great Rugby Union Matches on Boxing Day 2013.
Boxing Day Horse Race Meetings in the UK and Ireland - Boxing Day in the UK is a great day for Race Meetings
Go Horse Racing on Boxing Day. Here are the top racing venues for Boxing Day 2013. You can click through the links below for up to date information on Horse racing at these venues.
The big one is the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park, but all of these great sporting events are a wonderful Boxing Day treat.
- Sedgefield Racecourse Boxing Day Horse Racing
Horse racing days out at Sedgefield Racecourse - a day at the races with exciting jump racing, horseracing hospitality & premium events. - Wolverhampton Racecourse Boxing Day Horse Racing
Wolverhampton Racecourse information on horseracing fixtures, racing, events and sponsorship opportunities. Racing news, racing links and a list of today's racing fixtures.:- Boxing Day Racing - In Northern Ireland, Boxing Day Racing at Down Royal
In County Down, Northern ireland, there's a great Boxing Day Race meeting. - Go to Fontwell, West Sussex , for a wonderful Boxing Day Race meeting
Close to Arundel and Chichester, this picturesque course hosts a great Boxing Day race meeting.
Try these for your Boxing Day supper. - Boxing Day supper is an easy to prepare buffet
Cold cuts, chutneys, baked potatoes and chutneys, followed by sherry trifle and cheese.
No preparing on the day, easy to come home to.
Here are some essentials for the perfect Boxing Day supper.
Buy a selection of cold cuts
Cold meats form the base of the Boxing Day buffet. Make it easy for yourself by gettingi n good quality meats ahead of the day.
Chutney and Pickle- essential items.
For the first time in my life, I have made my own chutney for Boxing Day. ( Damson chutney if you're interested. Damson is a little fruit in the plum family that grows well in my area)
I'll still be buying a range of other pickles and chutneys. Go over the top with the Boxing Day buffet.
You must have chutney with your Boxing Day supper
Finish toe meal with some top notch cheese
It has to be that legendary King of Cheeses - Blue Stilton
Where to go bonkers on Boxing Day
The Observer Sunday newspaper featured Boxing Day madness
On Sunday 20 December 2009, the serious ( usually ) London Sunday Newspaper, The Observer, published this article on " Where to go Bonkers on Boxing Day", featuring some of the events mentioned and pictured in this lens.
Check it out!
Boxing Day Barrel Rolling photo thanks to The Observer, 20 December 2009
The Boxing Day Swim- some people's idea of fun!
Photo thanks to fimb and flickr creative commons
The photo was taken at Deal, UK on Boxing Day 2008.
A Boxing Day walk in England's Lake District
Make you own Boxing Day activities
Blow away the Christmas cobwebs on Boxing Day
If I'm not at Old Trafford I'll be out walking on the Lake District Hills.We pack sandwiches, a flask and some Christmas cake and set out for the day. You meet lots of people, who all greet each other with a "Hello" and a smile- its great to be out in the countryside.
This rather arty photo was taken by me on Boxing Day 2008. Its taken on the top of Loughrigg, having walked up from Rydal and Grasmere, looking over towards the Fairfield Horseshoe.I think you can see the shadows of 6 people and 2 dogs!
This was on one of the famous White Moss Walks, which begins at White Moss and goes up Loughrigg Fell- a wonderful place to take Brilliant Lake District photos. You can read about White Moss walks, and see photos and directions by clicking here
Here are lots of warm accessories from ebay for Boxing Day. - Think about buying Christmas gifts for the outdoors
These warm hats , scarves and gloves would , make excellent Christmas gifts or stocking fillers / stocking stuffers.
I always like to receive a new warm scarf that I can wear on Boxing Day.
Boxing Day in Australia.
Boxing Day In Australia falls in the middle of summer, and its a day for big sporting events.
The Boxing Day Test Match starts at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on December 26,against the touring side. For those of you unfamiliar with cricket, it is day 1 of a 5 day match.
The Boxing Day Test 2014 is between Australia and India .You can find details and book tickets on the MCG website
The Sydney to Hobart yacht race is another major Boxing Day sport.
Thanks to Georgiesharp and flickr creative commons for this great photo.
The links below give more information- please leave suggestions in the guestbook if you have more ideas.
- Boxing Day Cricket at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
News, information and history of this great sporting fixture. Cricket at the MCG on Boxing Day is watched by cricket lovers around the world on TV. - The Sydney to Hobart Boxing Day Yacht race
The official site for all news, gossip,and preaparation for the big Sydney Hobart race. On the day, follow the action online on this site.
The one essential item for Boxing Day- a great warm hat - Keep those ears warm on a chilly Boxing Day Holiday
If you're outdoors on Boxing Day, or any time around Christmas , one absolute essential is a warm hat or beanie to keep your ears as warm as toast, and what could be nicer than this festive red and white striped beanie.
I'd love to find this in my stocking!
Wrap up warm on Boxing Day and over the Christmas Holidays - Toasty warm fleecies from ebay.
Here are some great winter warmers for you to buy from ebay. A fleece sweater keeps you warm without the bulkiness of a big wool sweater.
Boxing Day on YouTube - Some of the thing the Brits get up to on Boxing Day!
Some of the crazy things we do on Boxing Day.
Be sure to check out the Iron men dancing. Its a type of Morris Dancing,( which is an old British tradition) usually done in matching uniforms, but done in "fancy dress" for Boxing Day.! Its great!
The Boxing Day Sales
Bargain Hunting- a new Boxing Day activity!
Until a few year ago all the shops would be closed on Boxing Day to give the shop workers a holiday.
The law changed a few years ago, and Boxing Day is now the busiest shopping day of the year.
Shoppers pile in to exchange their unwanted Christmas gifts, and to bag bargains in the sales. Its madness!
This Boxing Day shopping madness is not just confined to the UK.
This photo, thanks to avlxyz and flickr creative commons is of Boxing Day shopping crowds in Melbourne, Australia.
You would actually have to pay me to go shopping on Boxing Day, but thousands of people love it- its a new Boxing Day sport!
Book a vacation on Boxing Day
Apparently Boxing Day is the top day for booking a holiday/vacation
Figures from the travel industry show that on Boxing Day , immediately after Christmas, record numbers of people log on to travel sites and book their vacations.
Where to go? Skiing in January? A sunshine holiday? Or how about planning next years's summer holiday?
I love in a beautiful part of the world, The Lake District, in the North of England, UK. The Lake District is a top tourist destination, with lots of great accommodations, but if you want to make sure of reserving the dates you want at the place you want, book early! Our Grasmere self catering cottage is a one off, with fantastic views, and it's already got lots of bookings for 2015
I love to visit St Ives in Cornwall. St Ives has beautiful beaches, great coastal walks, fantastic art galleries and great restaurants. Like the Lake District, it's a tourist honeypot, and I've already booked my 2015 stay there to make sure I got into my favorite spot for the dates I wanted! I took this picture of St. Ives from my bedroom window!
Even in a recession, it makes sense to book your vacations early if you are flying overseas, and the best deals these days are often for early bookers.
Boxing Day has nothing to do with the sport of Boxing.
This cartoon plays on the joke that some people think that Boxing Day is something to do wit the sport of Boxing.
If you know if anything happening in your area on Boxing Day 2014 why not add them below.
It doesn't matter if its a local event , a family event, or a national event- anything welcome!
