Why is December 26 called Boxing Day?

But have you ever wondered how 26 December became better known as Boxing Day?

Well it has nothing to do with the sport of boxing and everything to do with the Victorians - like most traditions around Christmas.

Here's everything you need to know about the day after Christmas. 

Boxing Day: How did it get its name?

The name comes from a time during Queen Victoria's reign when the rich used to box up gifts to give to the poor.

Boxing Day was traditionally a day off for servants - a day when they received a special Christmas box from their masters.

The servants would also go home on Boxing Day to give Christmas boxes to their families.

The 26 December also has religious connections and is celebrated as Saint Stephen's Day in Ireland and the Catalonia region of Spain.

In some European countries - such as Hungary, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands - Boxing Day is celebrated as a second Christmas Day.

Boxing Day boxes

Churches also played a part in the creation of Boxing Day. Through the year they would take money from churchgoers in the form of a collection and hand it out at Christmas.

Many of them stored the collection money in a box, which they opened on Christmas Day. The money was then handed out to the poor the next day - on Boxing Day.

Today, those boxes aren't as popular. However some people leave out extra money for people like paper boys and girls in the weeks before Christmas, and call it a Christmas box.

When is Boxing Day?

Boxing Day is the day after Christmas Day and falls on 26 December.

When 26 December is a Saturday, the Boxing Day bank holiday is moved to the next Monday.

If 26 December falls on a Sunday, then the holiday is the following Tuesday. 

Boxing Day is a time to spend with family or friends, usually those not seen on Christmas Day itself.  

In recent times, the day has become synonymous with many sports, as many top football teams also play on Boxing Day.

Happy Boxing Day!