Boxing Day is a holiday that many of us, adults and kids alike, have heard of but don’t know much about. But that changes today! Read through the Boxing Day facts below with your kids, and we have a feeling you’ll both learn a thing or two that you didn’t know before.

Boxing Day Facts

• Boxing Day is on December 26th every year.
• Believe it or not, it doesn’t have anything to do with boxing the sport! Although some people do celebrate this holiday by watching sporting events with friends and family.
• This holiday originated in the United Kingdom, dating back to the 1600s.
• It is not a federal holiday in the US, but it is in the UK.
• Years ago, hunting wrens was a popular Boxing Day activity.
• Like Christmas, it is a day about gift giving. It initially started as a day for servants to give their families gifts from their employers, since they were busy working on Christmas Day. They would deliver goods and food in boxes, hence the name Boxing Day.
• Over the years, it evolved into a day to give to the needy. People would donate money to distribute to the less fortunate in their community.
• Some people participate in a fun and freezing tradition of a polar plunge into the English Channel on Boxing Day. The event raises money for charity.
• Others take the day to recognize and thank people who provide various services throughout the year, such as mailmen and trash men.
• Bubble and squeak, a meal made of leftovers, is a traditional meal enjoyed on Boxing Day.

Now, next time someone mentions Boxing Day, you’ll know exactly what the holiday entails, as well as some interesting facts about it. Consider celebrating it this year by thanking the people in your life who might not get much appreciation throughout the year.