Christmas Day and Boxing Day are perfect for relaxing, grazing on leftovers and, for some of us, sneaking in a quiet game of bingo.
The festive downtime got us wondering: why is it called Boxing Day anyway? So we went looking for the answer.
- So… why do we call it Boxing Day?
- Was Jesus really born on Christmas Day? A surprisingly twisty Christmas myth
- Father Christmas, Santa Claus or St Nicholas? Why we have all three
- Boxing Day today? Football, sales, and modern traditions
- Boxing Day FAQs
While families across the UK ask “Which is the better Boxing Day turkey recipe; turkey sandwiches or turkey curry?” These questions always also come up too:
“Why do we call it Boxing Day?” and “How did some of our favourite Christmas myths begin?”
Let’s unwrap a few of them.
So… why do we call it Boxing Day?
It actually has nothing to do with the sport. Boxing Day goes back centuries and like most old British rituals, like fish on Fridays and putting the kettle on, it’s a mix of faith and tradition.
Now for some Boxing Day history.
What Boxing Day does have to do with is: giving. Back in the day, it was tradition for wealthier families who had staff working for them to give them boxes during the December holiday. Actual small boxes filled with food, money or everyday essentials. Churches did this too, collecting donations of food or coins from those who could give a little. These were made into alms boxes for the poor. Some were left at church and some given directly to those in need on Saint Stephen’s Day as acts of charity.
Countries like the UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand celebrate both Christmas Day and Boxing Day as bank holidays or public holidays. Fast-forward to modern times and the tradition lives on (and if you’re browsing, our bingo bonuses page could be a great boxing day treat).
Was Jesus really born on Christmas Day? A surprisingly twisty Christmas myth
Whether you were one of the three kings (with a stick-on beard), or baby Jesus himself in the Christmas nativity, recreating one of the most famous scenes in history happens up and down the country thought the festive season.
But the Bible doesn’t actually give a date for Jesus’ birth. And the truth is, nobody really knows why 25th December was the chosen date. It could have been to do with pagan celebrations, Jesus’ crucifixion or John the Baptist’s birth. But it’s still a mystery that’s been turned into a myth that’s been turned into some seriously lovely traditions (like kids in an ensemble of a shepherds’ flock in home-made outfits made out of cotton wool singing ‘Away in a Manger’ at the school Christmas concert).
Dear Santa
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Dazzle Me Christmas
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Father Christmas, Santa Claus or St Nicholas? Why we have all three
Father Christmas was the original British symbol of the Christmas season. A figure of food and entertainment with red robes and rosy cheeks rather than the giver of presents. By the Victorian era (after a brief expulsion in 1647 when Parliament completely banned Christmas celebrations), Father Christmas had moved away from excessive eating and drinking to become something more palpable for families.
Meanwhile, Sinterklaas/St Nicholas was appearing in Europe in tales, leaving gold for children on 5th of December, the day before St Nicholas’s Day. Stories told how he could deliver stockings full of presents via chimneys and even locked doors. How Santa Claus developed from St Nicholas is a long and complicated story, but by 1821, in America there was a poem about Santa’s red coat and a sleigh. Then his beard was mentioned, and his flying reindeer too.
Santa Claus apparently appeared with Father Christmas in a story in 1864, but here is where we say enough with the history. Nobody really knows. Let’s forget it for now and have another mince pie!
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Boxing Day today? Football, sales, and modern traditions
So what happens on Boxing Day and what are some of the Boxing Day UK traditions?
Well, if Christmas Eve is about the partying and Christmas Day the calories, Boxing Day is becoming popular for brisk Boxing Day swims in the sea (for some people, anyway).
For others, it’s another day to visit family and give gifts, but there’s also the annual traditions of settling in for Boxing Day football or queueing outside the shops at 4am to grab a bargain in the Boxing Day sales.
If you want to grab your own bargain, check out our free spins offers page.
A reminder that we have a Christmas hub with all the latest Christmas bingo offers, Christmas slot games, and our £2000 Christmas Calendar
If you’re reading this over the festive period, we want to wish you a Merry Christmas and we hope you spent time doing whatever it is that you love, with the people that you love.
From everyone on the WhichBingo team, Merry Christmas!
Boxing Day FAQs
Why is it called Boxing Day?
Because people once gave “Christmas boxes” filled with food or coins to staff and those in need on 26 December. The day became linked with giving (not the sport!)
Is Boxing Day celebrated outside the UK?
Yes, in countries like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In parts of Europe, the same date is celebrated as St Stephen’s Day.
What are traditional Boxing Day activities?
In the UK it’s tradition to watch football, shop in the sales, visit family, and watch Christmas TV (while working through the leftovers). The brave on the coasts also go for a dip in the sea!
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