The day following Christmas, observed in Commonwealth countries.
Boxing Day is observed on December 26. It falls on the Feast of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr. St. Stephen was one of the original deacons of the Christian church, ordained by the Apostles to care for widows and the poor. He was stoned to death for his devotion to Christianity.
No one is certain exactly when Boxing Day began being observed, but most historians believe it started in the medieval age. The name “Boxing Day” is thought to have come from the tradition of churches opening their boxes for the poor on that day. Historians also believe that the occasion was named for the Christmas boxes that servants, who had worked on Christmas Day, would receive from their employers on December 26. The reference to boxes could also have come from the tradition of tradesmen collecting Christmas boxes or gifts in return for good service throughout the year, a practice still carried out in England.
St. Stephen is considered the patron saint of horses. Horse racing and the controversial fox hunt are popular Boxing Day sports in England. In many countries the day is also closely associated with big sales at retail stores.