For the Canadian Cuties, what exactly is boxing day. I see it on the calendar but what goes on this day?

When I was a kid my Dad used to tell us it was the day when the convicts of old used to get a day off working so would organise boxing matches for sport (entertainment) and would round up kangaroos to box with.

I believed every word of it because I wouldn't doubt for a minute that the rugged convict pioneers would do this sort of thing for sport.

After all, they were mostly the low-life of English criminals and back in England 'blood sports' with all sorts of animals was common practice.
Bull baiting, bear baiting, dog fights, cock fights, ratting, were all common entertainment amongst the criminal element and dockside lower class back then.

I just thank Heaven I can trace my family right back without a single convict to be found anywhere!!! LOLOLOLOL!!!!!
Hugs n roses, Meganne

2 comments

by meganne 11 Dec 2010

Oh and of course I am talking about Australia.
:-)

by bevintex 11 Dec 2010

Too funny!

Wow Bev, I thought they had boxing day every where. You learn something every day.
Alice

1 comment

by bevintex 11 Dec 2010

I think here they just call it day after Christmas sales. You return everything you got you did'nt like and buy something you really want. LOL. Seriously I have never heard of boxing day. I thought it had something to do the sport of boxing. I also learned something new today
Bev

I see you have your answer. Here in SA they have decided to change the name - it is now called 'Day of Goodwill'. Being English I will always call it Boxing Day!!!

I'm Canadian!!! Boxing day here is like your black friday. Stores have huge sales, big discounts off all Christmas stock. It's a day you would love to go Christmas shopping, too bad it's the day after.
Lee

1 comment

by bevintex 10 Dec 2010

I love after Christmas shopping, everything is half off and you can stock up for the next year.

Boxing Day is a public holiday in the UK and started as mentioned below. Now it is the day the sales begin ( but many places seem to be having them before Christmas)

Wow how interesting. I'm British and my dad told me (when I was little) that Boxing Day was the day that you threw out all your wrappings & boxes from Christmas Day (turns out that's wrong lol) .. and also boxing (the sport) was shown on TV (this I do remember).

Turns out that Boxing Day is the day the upper classes used to give the lower classes their Christmas gifts, and was started by Queen Victoria.

In Australia its a public holiday (Dec 26th)...meaning no shops or businesses are open, other than the rare petrol station or deli...what they call a "bank holiday" in England. :) xXx

2 comments

by killiecrankie 11 Dec 2010

I don't know where in Aust you live but here on the Central Coast we have been going to the Boxing Day sales since the 90's. Myers (even when they were Grace Brothers they opened) have now started opening at 7am & the rest of the shops are usually open by 9am

by meganne 11 Dec 2010

The Central Coast (NSW) always had late night shopping too, (going back to when I first moved to Long Jetty in 1980), but it was on Friday nights until 9:00 PM.

It was only about 8 years ago that Tuggerah Westfield ceased Friday late night shopping in favour of the more popular Thursday night trading. I used to love getting off the freeway (coming home from work) and going shopping at Westfield on Friday night, because I didn't have to get up for work at 4:30 am the next day.

Hugs n roses, Meganne

For us it is a holiday that dates back to England. Rich people would give boxes of food, clothing and cash to their servents. Much like employers give bonus to their employees. Hence the word Boxing Day. Our stores uses to be closed on that day, but now the province allows them to be open.We have boxing day sales much like black friday in the U.S. It is also my daughter and grandaughter's birthday. So mother and daughter celebrate togather. It is a great day for us. Merry Christmas to you and your family. Have a safe and joyous holiday. Hugs Lynn

This is what I got from Google. It is the day after Xmas.
Boxing Day got its name from an old tradition when employers boxed gifts for their workers on the day after Christmas.
Marg

3 comments

by shirlener88 10 Dec 2010

Thanks Marg!

by bevintex 10 Dec 2010

Is it a holiday?

by airyfairy 11 Dec 2010

Yes.