Boxing Day is celebrated on the day next to Christmas Day i.e. 26th December. In European countries, this day is the day of bonus. The bosses of companies endue bonuses to their employees. It is also celebrated as the 2nd Christmas day. This day is a public holiday in countries like Canada, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa etc. It is known by different names in different countries like St. Stephen’s Day/ Day of Wren in Ireland, Day of Goodwill in South Africa, in Canada as federal public holiday. Netherland, Poland, Germany and Scandinavia celebrate this day as Second Christmas Day.

boxing day 2013Why Boxing Day is called so? This question doesn’t have a definite answer. It is celebrated as gift giving day. These gifts could in any form like cash, prize etc. which is packed in a box. This box gave its name to the day on which it is being distributed. In Roman era, people used to collect presents on feast of Stephen. These presents were collected in the metal boxes placed outside the Church.

boxing dayUnited Kingdom organizes this day as a bank holiday. In case, if 26th December falls on Sunday, then in many countries, Boxing Day moves to 27th December as Sunday is already a holiday. The Shopping destinations go packed with customers due to heavy discounts and offers available on them. Gigantic offers get introduced and merchants starting working from early morning and work till midnight to sell huge number of stocks.