For all you Canadians, how would describe Boxing Day to someone south of the border?

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Michael C...

"Hi"...well it's like this...the actual day is the day after Christmas, the Feast of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, is better known as Boxing Day. The term came from the opening of church poor boxes that day; to distribute to the poor.

Nowadays, we often see, in certain families, gifts (boxes) given to those who provide services throughout the year.

It has nothing to do with throwing out boxes that presents came in ,nor returning gifts, or boxing unwanted presents !

"Boxing Day" is listed in the Canada Labour Code as a holiday and Boxing Day is also a public holiday in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia, as well as many other members of the Commonwealth of Nations and Greece. It is based on the tradition of giving gifts to the less fortunate members of society.

BUT IN REALITY..............................

Contemporary Boxing Day in Canada is a "shopping holiday" associated with after Christmas sales like your Black Friday and has
become very commercial wherein stores have "Boxing Day" specials and everyone makes a mad dash to the Malls and stores...with a frenzied mob mentality , wearing hockey knee pads , elbow pads and helmets for protection , it's primordial survival of the "fittest shopper" !

If you do venture out to the Malls and Big Box stores where there is "Boxing Day Sales" then it brings new meaning to the term "boxing" wherein everyone is a "PUGILIST" (Boxer) and scrambling and shoving their way to that check out counter with that last elusive item on the shelf that's at half price . *L*

Fortunately, I am allergic to Malls and therefore don't have to endure this insane stampede ! *lol*

Hope that helps ya and a "Merry Christmas for next year "! *S* (Michael C...)

Shelley

In Newfoundland the majority of stores are closed on Boxing day. It's usually an extension of Christmas. Lots of people get together with family enjoy Christmas dinner left overs, Turkey soup and other holiday goodies.

Lots of people have it off so they spend their time with their families or go out to the few places that are open. Movie Theatres are open along with the majority of restaurants a few stores are open but " boxing day sales" don't hit full force until the 27th.

Peter L

It is Canada's equivalent to their Black Friday (Day after Thanksgiving)

Ms Know It All

In Nova Scotia, it is a statutory holiday, so pretty much everything is closed. They refer to "Boxing Week" sales here, not "Boxing Day" sales. Most people get the day off with pay, same as Christmas.

Like in Newfoundland, I think most people spend it visiting, eating, recovering, cleaning and hopefully playing with their new toys. December 27th is the Shopping day from hell here.

JuanB

To explain it to someone south of the border. Simply. Well you know how a lot of Americans take 2 days off at Thanksgiving for a 4 day weekend? Well Christmas is bigger than Thanksgiving in Canada. We take 2 days off at Christmas. And sure, there are long explanations of what Boxing Day itself is, and it is a UK and Commonwealth (Australia, New Zealand, etc) thing. But it really is just taking the day after Christmas off. The most it is associated with is shopping just like the day after Thanksgiving in the US is associated with shopping. However, for us it is shopping for post Christmas bargains, and it gets a bit confusing because those bargains can hit New Years Day too. And Boxing day shopping is more of a big city thing. I have spent much of my life in smaller towns where stores are just as likely to stay closed.

Edit: lol I wrote before I read any other answers and thought mine would be quite a bit different. Now I read the others and it is actually very similar. So I say again - Boxing Day is having a two day holiday at Christmas. I even think people might disagree with me, but that's how I explain it to Americans.

Adrian T. "Captain Canuck&q

HELL!

Leila R

well it's obviously not as great as your black friday but it's similar, basically every single store has a sale and all the big malls are crowded like crazy with hardly any parking spots

MasterPython

It's the day after Christmas when every store has a sale and you can get stuff for like half off. At some point in the past it had some meaning about giving stuff to your servants, but nobody cares about that anymore.

It's not a day off for most people. A lot of companies have people work on Remeberance Day(Nov 11) to get it off.

SAGE

It's the day where people go out to find great deals on products that didn't sell at Christmas.Unfortunately the sales don't exist but people go out with the intention to buy so the do any way. You are much better off waiting a few weeks ,that's when the real sales happen.

petey

it's the day after christmas when they put everything on 50% off of what u paid the week before, large crowds acting like vultures..i avoid it

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