What is Boxing Day Anyway?

Boxing Day originated in the United Kingdom and is celebrated in several countries that previously formed part of the British Empire.

There is no definite origin, however, The Oxford English Dictionary gives the earliest attestations from Britain in the 1830s, defining it as "the first weekday after Christmas day, observed as a holiday on which postmen, errand boys, and servants of various kinds expect to receive a Christmas box".

In Canada, Boxing Day is primarily known as a shopping holiday, much like Black Friday.

In some areas of Canada, particularly in Atlantic Canada and parts of Northern Ontario, most retailers are prohibited from opening on Boxing Day.