Boxes on a table

Why historians disagree about the origins of Boxing Day

Celebrated on December 26, this British holiday was likely inspired by one of several charitable traditions. Here are the theories—and how it is observed today.

Celebrated on December 26, Boxing Day isn't named for leftover Christmas gift boxes or the sport of boxing. While its origins are lost to time, many believe the holiday was derived from a British tradition of charitable giving.

Richard Brocken, Hollandse Hoogte

The presents are unwrapped, everyone’s stuffed, and Christmas is over. What now?

If you’re British or live in a Commonwealth nation, Christmas doesn’t end on December 25. The day after Christmas is known as Boxing Day, and the relaxed holiday is a chance to extend the celebration for one more restful day.

But its name has nothing to do with the sport of boxing, and contrary to popular belief, did not arise from a need to return unwanted gifts or clean up trash generated by Christmas gifting. Here’s how Boxing Day got its name—and how it’s celebrated around the world.

Though historians disagree on the exact origin of Boxing Day, it is thought to have grown out of longstanding

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