Boxing Day: What’s it all about?

SALISBURY, Md. – Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated after Christmas and it’s becoming more well known in the United States but many people are still unsure about what it’s actually about.

“Boxing? My first thought was the physical aspect of boxing,” says Demon Cropper, a Salisbury resident.

“I thought it was a day maybe spent boxing presents for next year, for people that would be okay getting them a few days late,” says David Trice, an Easton resident.

Boxing Day is still a bit foreign to locals on Delmarva.

“I actually was thinking boxing up old toys so the new ones can come. That’s what I was thinking. I’ve never heard of that term before,” says Chris McDonald, a Parsonsburg resident.

No, the day isn’t about actual boxes. The holiday is celebrated the day after Christmas in places like Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia as a day of charitable giving.

“I think it’s a good thing. There’s a lot of people that spend their Christmas actually in stores or in convenience stores or places that we need open and they don’t get a chance to get that day. And I think that’s a good day to give to them as well as another day to teach people what the reason for the season is,” says Trice.

As Boxing Day becomes more well known in the United States, locals say they like the idea behind it.

“Oh it’s something awesome. It’s about giving. That’s what we should be doing here on this world anyhow is giving to one another to help humanity to get from point A to point B. That’s what it should be about,” says Cropper.

But some people tell 47 ABC another paid holiday might be hard on businesses. “I think it would be good. I’m not sure enough businesses would take hold of it, at least not big businesses. As it is, I had to take today off. I would be at work otherwise,” says Trice.

While the holiday isn’t on the calendar in the United States, locals say they support the reasons other places celebrate it. “That’s probably the best time to do it because people are in the giving mood. They’re more giving especially if they had a really good Christmas. They’re happy and excited to give to somebody else that may not be as fortunate as them,” says McDonald.

Here’s a little more background on Boxing Day: the charitable aspect comes from the Victorian Era. When people had servants, they’d usually work on Christmas. But they typically had the 26th of December off and that’s when they exchanged gifts.

Another theory behind the name Boxing Day is that wealthy people would give boxes filled with small gifts to their employees to recognize their service.