First of all, we hope you had a very wonderful Christmas and today we wish you a happy Boxing Day! But, what is boxing day? It is a holiday celebrated in the United Kingdom and other British Commonwealth countries, such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand and today we want to tell you more about it!
As peculiar as it may sound, Boxing Day does not have anything to do with boxing as a sport or with trashing empty boxes left over from Christmas or return of unwanted presents to department stores. According to History, the origins of this holiday can be traced back to 1833 when it first appeared as a term in the Oxford English Dictionary. Four years later, Charles Dickens referred to it in “The Pickwick Papers”.
It is also believed that Boxing Day history is tied with the more working-class communities on the day after Christmas, which is why it is celebrated on December 26. “One idea is that December 26 was the day centuries ago when lords of the manor and aristocrats typically distributed ‘Christmas boxes’ often filled with small gifts, money and leftovers from Christmas dinner to their household servants and employees, who were required to work on December 25, in recognition of good service throughout the year. These boxes were, in essence, holiday bonuses,” History says.
There is another theory is that Boxing Day comes from the boxes placed in churches during the Advent season for collecting monetary donations which were distributed on December 26. So, if you thought you knew what boxing day means, now you know the truth!
Other Boxing Day meanings
Another origin of the name Boxing Day, according to The Spruce is a referral to a nautical tradition. “Great sailing ships when setting sail would have a sealed box containing money on board for good luck. When the voyage was a success, the box was given to a priest, opened at Christmas and the contents then given to the poor.”
There is another origin suggestion that was published by The Guardian that is even older than all of those we mentioned above since it takes us back to the late Roman Empire. Back then, Christians did similar collections of money for the poor in honor of St Stephen, which is why this Christian saint is associated with public acts of charity.
What to do on Boxing Day
This day is traditionally spent shopping and practicing sports, so, why not practice boxing today? In the countries where this holiday is celebrated the common sports practiced on December 26 are horse racing and football, although other more “bizarre” traditions also take place, such as swimming in the icy cold English Channel.
But, let’s go back to boxing, the sport you love and that you thought was celebrated today before you read this post, right? It is likely that you are taking a few days off to be with your family and friends, or you may be on vacation at home or traveling. Whatever you are doing, it is important to stay as healthy as possible so that you will not affect your boxing training.
We gave you some very useful tips a few weeks ago to get you prepared for the season and in case you got into some unhealthy holiday eating. Even if your gym is closed today, you can work out at home and start to burn off those calories from the past few days.
Also, get rid of those high-calorie leftovers in your fridge. Eat them all today or give them away, it is time to get back in shape and to your routine. Drink lots of water to keep you from retaining fluids or getting dehydrated and let’s get moving!
What to do if the boxing gym is closed?
Not only on Boxing Day, but the boxing gym may be closed for a few days or weeks at this time and you could be wondering about what you can do to stay fit or begin to get back in shape after some (well-deserved) holiday eating. Don’t worry, that’s why Be Happy Boxing is here, to help you with some ideas of exercises you can do as a boxer without a gym.
- Running
Did you know that running is a great cross-training sport for boxers and vice-versa? In the boxing world, it is usually called roadwork and it is an activity that will help you develop better breathing patterns. This translates into more energy when boxing.
Your legs, of course, will be stronger and this will benefit immensely your footwork. The anaerobic and aerobic energy systems will also be enhanced if you start practicing running. Go to the link we just shared with you to check out two roadwork sessions you can do, depending on if you are a beginner or a more seasoned runner.
2. Weight training
If you have some weights at home or access to them at a friend’s home gym, for instance, you can do some weight training. Boxers do not need to do much weight training but it is common to see professional boxers do weightlifting when they are offseason to gain some healthy muscle mass, so why can’t you do it too?
3. Jumping rope
You can use this time away from the boxing gym to get better with your jumping rope. Check out this video where you can get some ideas for a jump rope boxing workout. Which one of these can you do? Challenge yourself and learning new exercises!
4. Strength training without equipment
Finally, if you do not have any equipment then the best thing you can do are old school strength-based exercises, such as push-ups, sit-ups, crunches, plyometrics (jumping rope) and burpees.
We hope that you have had and continue to have a great holiday season and that you are spending a nice Boxing Day too, whatever you decide to do today! Let us know in the comments how your holidays have been and what you usually do during this time as a boxer and athlete.
