In Great Britain and several Commonwealth nations like Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, December 26 is observed as a holiday, originally meant for giving gifts to servants, tradespeople, and the less fortunate. By the 21st century, this day shifted to become more associated with shopping and sports.

Explanations for the origin of the name have varied, with some believing that it derived from the opening of alms boxes that had been placed in churches for the collection of donations to aid the poor. Others, however, have held that it came from the boxes of gifts given to employees on the day after Christmas. According to this theory, because the work of servants was required for the Christmas Day celebrations of their employers, they were allowed the following day for their own observance of the holiday. The practice of giving bonuses to service employees has continued, although it is now often done before rather than after Christmas Day.

If December 26 falls on a weekend, the next Monday is marked as the public holiday. Also celebrated as St. Stephen’s Day, the patron saint of horses, Boxing Day has evolved into a day for sports like horse racing, foxhunting, and rugby. Although traditional foxhunting was altered in England and Wales in 2005 due to new laws restricting the use of hounds. Notably, the holiday was never widely adopted in the Americas.