Boxing day in Australia is the day which is celebrated actually after the Christmas day. It is celebrated on the 26th of December and initially the purpose of the day was to give presents to the poor. As friends and family give presents to each other on the Christmas day therefore on the other day, poor people also were to be given gifts.
On this day masters gave their employees gifts which they could later take to their homes. The gifts were in collection boxes that contained food, clothes, money, books, ribbon, linen, and other stuff of basic necessities. Servants also took the boxes pleasantly from their masters. Though, now the tradition has changed, and day of boxing is considered as a shopping holiday. The name represents the charity drives in itself and it is also called offering day.
Is Boxing Day a Public Holiday:
Boxing day is a great tradition that is followed by many people hence it became a public holiday back in the 1871. If it comes on the weekend, then no additional holiday is given for it but if it comes in the weekdays the citizens get public holiday for it.
Traditions of the Boxing Day:
Boxing Day Sport Games:
There were many traditions of boxing day that now have been lost but and have been replaced with material and physical pleasures. Nowadays the holiday is associated with sports such as rugby, football, basketball, cricket matches and much more.
Boxing Day Sales:
In Australia, there is a great trend of boxing day sales. Everyone from the brand to the local shops go crazy over the sales and a huge number of people also buy from these. The shops open early in the morning in order to collect all the remaining dollars of the customers from the Christmas day. It is the great time to buy big cricket items or stock-up on your other stuff like the decoration items, clothes, makeup, skincare products or other items as everything is on sale at that time.
Boxing Day Movies:
One can go to the cinemas for watching boxing day movies as a lot of blockbuster movies get released on the boxing day. The cinemas open around 12:01 am in the morning so one can go there early after the breakfast and then enjoy the rest of the day with your friends and family. So many people enjoy the movies on the day of boxing therefore the producers have a deal between them in order to know that who can score the coveted title of the highest-growing new release.
Different parts of the world have different traditions:
These are the most common traditions which are followed on the day of boxing however not every part of the world follows the same tradition. For instance, Northern Island celebrates boxing day whereas the republic of Ireland celebrates St. Stephens day instead. And on 26th December, the people across the Island continue the tradition of Wren Day or La an Dreolin.
Australian Magazine has brought you some traditions of boxing day which you can follow for celebrating Christmas this year in Australia. Do tell us in the comments section whether these were helpful or not and that whether they gave you a deeper insight on the boxing day.
