As an American, I didn't think it was about the Sport of Boxing so much, but by seeing it on American calendars, I did think it was only in Canada because it said Boxing day Canada. Now later American Calendars did say Boxing day UK and by that I knew it was a bigger Holiday.
@pisswobble while I'm not usually the kind of twerp who'll write "FIRST!!!" in the comment section, I'll make an exception here to point out that I was the first one to say it. I happened to have my phone out when the notification came, and I watched the video immediately. If you sort the comments chronologically, you'll see that there were only four ahead of mine, and none of them mention the sport of boxing.
I'm from Iowa. I only knew about Boxing day because my boyfriend is from Canada. I wish we'd pick it up though. With all the craziness and stress of the holidays, it'd be nice for everyone to get an extra day off after to just relax, or do things like edit more videos! Thank you for Vlogmas! It was my first, and I enjoyed it very much!
Or use the holiday as a day of rest and self-reflection as holidays were designed. If you discard the bs commercialism and other unrealistic expectations that holidays have been corrupted into, the stress goes away and there is no need for an extra day. Imagine that.
@@jtdw10 Sadly indeed. It has taken generations to wreck our once great society. It will take generations to fix it. That 2 people understand this is a start. 😊
Boxing day has always sounded like a nice holiday. An extra day to spend time with friends & family after Christmas. Maybe we should start a new tradition??! 🎄👍😎
Boxing day is a day to recover after Christmas day. Lately it's become a shopping day, but it's historically been a day for sports. There is always a round of football matches on Boxing day, it's a major day in the horse racing calendar and in the commonwealth nations in the southern hemisphere there will be a cricket match starting on Boxing day when England are touring there.
Lucy Worsley takes it back further and that as Dec 26th is the feast of St. Steven and the day of distribution of dole to the poor. The English houses with servants updated that for Boxing Day, a day to reinforce class distinctions. As Americans never has large landed households, except for slave owners who had no need to give gifts to property, there was no need for a Boxing Day. And Laurence, are you sure you have never been to an after-Christmas sale in Chicago?
Lawrence - the Phillips side of my family were some of the first English colonists and arrived in Virginia in 1648! I think they may have been too busy trying to survive to celebrate Boxing Day! They were great pie makers I’m told, however! ❤️👍😉
3:36 This is the Eaton Centre in Toronto Ontario, Canada, at the South entrance on Queen Street East. The Canada Geese suspended from the ceiling is an art installation by Michael Snow called Flight Stop (1979). There are 60 geese. I remember one Christmas when I was a kid that the Eaton Centre put ribbons on their necks. My father mentioned years later that Mr Snow got quite angry and had them remove the ribbons as my dad put it, "they don't wear ribbons in nature." Checking the wiki, it says that was during the Christmas season of 1981 and that Mr Snow sued the corporate owner of the Toronto Eaton Centre in 1982. It is a beautiful piece, and I recommend checking it out, as well as reading the wiki to learn how it was created.
I’m an American and I would love to see boxing day become a holiday. When my children were young I didn’t work so I came to appreciate having the day off after Christmas just to recover and have a longer holiday. Since I’ve been working I have asked for the day after Christmas off every year and usually I can get it. I agree with the concept of boxing day I wish America would become enlightened. 😊
I think in general Americans need more holidays AND vacation time AND sick days. In australia, New Zealand your employer pays you for public holidays, even if you do not work on them (they also pay you for a certain amount of sick days a year and pays you for 4 weeks vacation each year (all paid as if you worked those days). It still blows my mind that a) americans do not get paid for holidays, sick days, or vacations, b) that americans can be forced to work on a public holiday, and c) they do not get paid anything extra for working on a public holiday. If you work Christmas or good Friday for example in Australia or New Zealand, it is because you volunteer and you will be getting at minimum 3x normal pay. Any other holiday or Sundays, you get 2x normal pay.
@@tarzanjungle3725 Thats ok. Australians, Kiwis and Poms get Boxing Day, New Years Day, Good Friday and Easter Monday off. And in the case of Australia and New Zealand, Labour Day, Queen's Birthday, Anzac Day, Australia/Waitangi Day, and a show day. And if any of these holidays fall on a saturday or sunday, you get the following Monday off.
Growing up in Oklahoma. We used to have what was called the autumn festival or harvest festival. Alot of towns in the US have their carnivals planned on the same time period. Most do not celebrate it anymore the way I remember. This was also the time for family reunions.
Some of my earliest English ancestors, William and Annis Chandler arrived at Roxbury, Massachusetts in 1637. They came from Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire, England. My direct Chandler ancestor is my gg grandmother, Sarah Jane Chandler. She is buried in Ivanhoe, Illinois, a few miles from where I still live. Sadly, No boxing day for us. But; since I am now retired I can enjoy taking the day after Christmas OFF. And the next day and the next day and the next day!!! Thank you Sarah Jane!!!!
Years ago in Ontario, Canada, Boxing Day was a day off. Sales started on the 27th of December. Now, stores are open on the 26th. The only think closed on December 26th are banks and government offices.
Is twelfth night a big thing in England? I grew up going to an Episcopal ⛪ where we would have a twelfth night celebration the Saturday evening closest to epiphany. There was a big meal at church which included plenty of alcohol😀, church members dressed in medieval costumes, etc. There was also 1 more gift under the tree for each family member at Epiphany. As a result, I never thought of Christmas being "over" until twelfth night when I was a kid
Thank you for oo (is that a word?). I really enjoy your videos. I like that I learn something nearly every episode (something could come in handy one day).
Are you taking requests for a ukelele concert on New Year's? I'd like to hear your "stylings" of "Tiny Bubbles" and "Tiptoe Through The Tulips"... Also, will you be gracing us with a Twelfth Night vid? For Ameicans who celebrate the Christmas season properly, a Twelfth Night "Do" is a must (probably because they can get pretty rowdy). Perhaps you could fill us in on party patterns in the UK.
Some years ago, I (a US citizen) asked a business associate from Ontario Canada what Boxing Day is. His reply was that it was the day Queen Elizabeth boxed up the hats she no longer wore and had them sold to raise funds for charity. Although I realized that he was "pulling my leg", I thought it was a pretty clever answer. 😉
Far too late to the party, but as a Canadian, I'll take my Thanksgiving Day, my Christmas Day _and_ my Boxing Day, thank you very much. My employer also give us New Years Day, which I don't know if it's part of the discussion here but I wouldn't give it up either. I think people spend too much of their lives at work, and one day a month (on average) to take a few hours to relax and/or celebrate is just good for the soul.
Yes, I worked. I am a case processor so working for the state government, it's back open the next day after Christmas. I try not to take off too many days because my case load goes out of control and they will only turn off the computer sorting cases if I take off a week or more. Luckily, I have a wedding out-of-state and have off from Dec 31 - Jan 14. So, I'm lucky I'm a sense of actually having lots of leave, bit it's not always worth taking off work.
Some jobs, like Healthcare and Social Service jobs are 24/7 jobs while Education jobs are not. So, it depends on the job. I've worked in all of these areas btw.
The number 1 reason we don't celebrate is the silly name. Boxing Day is just a silly name for a holiday. Everyone immediately things of the sport of boxing. If they come up with a good name for it we might join in.
Wait...this was filmed yesterday? Looks like it was either before the wine or after a nap 😄 I always hated working the 26th because it was in food service and we'd be just as busy after Christmas as before, except by that point the adults were totally over the holidays while the kids were spazzy because they were still off from school.
Although Dec. 26th isn't an official holiday for Boxing Day, a lot of people still get the day off, except for those of us in retailing where the day is still a major day for end of year sales. In some cases people will get Christmas Eve and possibly other days during the week as well.
I came to know boxing day in Bermuda. My best Christmas ever, with my beautiful first wife. Didn't know it existed, thank god the hotel had food. I rode my moped all day, with my beautiful wife, hugging me. What a great day. It reminds of her best trait.
Funny story... Many years ago, I worked for Sony's tech support call center, and I had a customer tell me the purchase date of their laptop was "Boxing Day". I had no idea what that was, and they couldn't understand how I wouldn't know what it was. When they eventually realized I was not in Canada (which is where they lived) they, too, were quite surprised it was totally unknown here.
I'm very lucky to currently be in a position where I don't have to work during the Christmas season (I was not always that lucky), I love all the build up, but I could never justify the expense and work Christmas entails just for one day. I live in the Uk and my family tries to not only get boxing day off, but as many of the 12 days of Christmas (starting on Christmas day) as we possibly can, and the decorations don't come down until the last possible moment of 12th night. It makes all the hype and expense worth it.
Probably because most people who immigrated from England during the early times didn’t have servants. It was just the day after Christmas and the cows still had to milked and the horses fed. FYI, Virginia colony here
It was not just for servants (and America bloody well did have servants (indentured) AND slaves). It was about the rich boxing up gifts for the poor. But since America also does not like giving anything to the poor (no good social security system for them), you can see why boxing up gifts for the poor never really took off in the USA.
@@glenbe4026 Plenty of socialist paradises for you to live in. Go there and get your free stuff so real Americans can get on with their lives in peace.
In the UK we get 28 statutory days paid leave a year by law. Most of them are up to the employer when we get them, but we have some days that are statutory days off. In Northern Ireland New Years Day, Easter Monday, 12th July, Christmas Day and Boxing Day are statutory. Then there are the bank holidays/public holidays that are up to the employers if you get them off, St Patricks Day, May Day, Good Friday, Spring Bank Holiday and Summer Bank Holiday. The rest are floating days or set days. For me its a fortnight at Christmas, a week at Easter, a fortnight in July and a couple of days at Halloween and Paddies Day and Mayday. England, Wales and Scotland will each have their differences but 28 days statutory in all.
As a Canadian I must say that you make the Commonwealth sound so new, I recall we were part of Greater Britain/ the British Empire prior to that. At least that was implied through the American war for independence, war of 1812, the Fenian invasion, Boer War etc. LoL.
U.S. companies seem to be driven to get the utmost (apparent) utility out of their workers by limiting days off and expecting them to work unpaid extra hours, even if entitled to overtime pay. Thus, if we in the U.S. had ever had Boxing Day off, it would have been rolled into one day with Christmas Day long since, just like Lincoln's Birthday and Washington's Birthday have been rolled into one Presidents' Day holiday. A more fun note, I always assumed Boxing Day was for putting away decorations and disposing of gift boxes, kind of a clean-up day. We're getting the truth at last!
@@santamanone surely you mean most Americans can use the overtime pay. Certainly the cost of living is not well met by base pay, even in positions involving high training and a high level of trust. If base pay met daily needs and we wanted extras, we could then work extra hours at our choice rather than under the threat of losing our jobs. Otherwise, we could use that time to relax and enjoy our families. Or to meet someone to start a family with!
@@santamanone I'm originally from the Midwest, so I have some friends who grew up on farms. Taking care of living things, plant or animal, can take up more time than anyone has. How do you cope? Did you grow up on a farm or is this something you chose as an adult?
There are a lot of sales the day after Christmas. Our local Target was pretty full today, with lots of stuff on sale. Lots of people have (or take) the day off. Not as busy as Black Friday, but still fairly bustling.
Wish we had a target near me I have to suffer with 1 Walmart and everyone you know trying to hide from each other while returning gifts they got from each other
Boxing Day is a real worthwhile holiday. It allows everyone to unwind from Christmas and it is also a great family day. It gives people the opportunity to visit with family they hadn't had time to see on Christmas. Also it presents an alternative day for families to meet when their adult children had been predisposed with the annual Christmas dinner at their in-laws. Another benefit is the time it provides to clean up after Christmas...get the wrapping paper into the recycle bin, vacuum up, and put the gifts away etc. I think Americans should consider adopting it. If anything, it's a good mental heath day!
Boxing day just don't sound right, it's not a catchy phrase, and Americans love catchy words and phrases. It sounds like work, like boxing things up and putting them away. That just wouldn't work in the states, especially on the day after Christmas. December 26 is the day shoppers are returning and exchanging Christmas gifts, or just relaxing from a big day of celebration on December 25. It is also a travel day for many Americans, trying to get back to their homes in other states. Boxing day just don't resonate with the majority of Americans, especially on that day.
I arrived in the UK one week prior to Christmas 1980. Everyone kept talking about Boxing Day. I turned on the television expecting all day boxing matches.
Most people in small towns do not have to go back to work until after New Year. Iive in a medium sized Port Town in the South and only retail workers are going back to work. This is to take advantage of Post Christmas Sales where people spend a lot of money on themsrlved
Anyone that works in a shop open on Boxing Day in the UK or any Commonwealth Nation has to work the day after Christmas. Boxing Day is a day full of Sales so many do work on that day in a shop. So not everyone get Boxing Day off in the UK or the Commonwealth Nations. My question is: if its so important to have the Day after Christmas off, Boxing Day, then why not Close all the shops and make only those that need to work to keep a Nation running work? As one that has worked on Christmas and other Holidays: it doesn't feel good to have to work and miss an important day while others get it off, and the the overtime doesn't make me feel better about working on Holidays either. On the 4th of July this Year 2019: I worked and there was an Earth quake in Los Angeles so I had to do extra work Checking for Earth Quake damage at the Building I work at. I know I was paid overtime for the day but the extra money didn't make up for the extra work that wore me out. I would rather have all Holiday off than work them.
Get a professional job. I take 2 weeks off with accumulated holidays with vacation. I know this isn’t true in your area of expertise. Maybe career change.
@@finned958 Yes I can always change jobs, but thats not the point. There is some jobs like police and fire that always have to have people working but then there are jobs like shops that open on Boxing Day and shops in the USA that open on Thanksgiving, to be open early for Black Friday, that don't have to be open. The employees that work on Thanksgiving in the USA are told they will be fired if they don't come in and why do they work? Its all for corporation to make more money and so customers can buy things cheaper. As one who has worked holidays I know what it like to work on them and how it feels and its not right that shops open while others get the time off. Not many think of why employees have to work to serve the lucky ones that have it off can enjoy themselves and shops can make money. They work for the greed of others, but the rest say its so important to have it off without a care for those that have to work. Self-centered people only caring about what they get. When it comes to big companies that get there shops open on holidays: well all the executive get the day off, but the employees on the bottom work so the top can make the big money.
To those reading this: the point of my first comment was: Many British people tell us Americans how important it is to get the day after Christmas off and why don't we Americans get it off, so I commented that not all British people get it off. Many have to work on that day. Then I shared my feelings on what its like to have to work on a holiday when others have it off. I guess a few of you missed the whole point. Gee not to bright of you!
@@michaelfisher9267 and closer to home, two Guyana's. On a side note, I didn't realise South Africa was in the commonwealth. Turns out they rejoined in 1994. I guess I missed the memo.
We have Boxing day in the UK. Banks are closed but money can be got out of the hole in the wall, so there's plenty of money to spend at the sales. Many shops/stores are open and it's back to business. Most of my family worked until late on Christmas eve and were back at work early on the 26th. It's normal.
We definitely need the day after Christmas off. But we dont need another crazy shopping day. We need a day to unwind. Take it easy. Enjoy the season. Its a quiet day for me. It is just too soon to get back to work on the 26th.
The Day after Christmas is often seen as a day of sales, discounts and shopping in the US. When I worked in retail, it was probably the busiest day of the year. Even busier than Black Friday. We don't call it Boxing Day or make it an official holiday, but we do celebrate it in a way. (Also, very few people in the US have had servants, so few have had cause to give out a "Christmas Box" on the 26th. If we do tip tradesmen, postal workers, or other service workers, we tend to do that before Christmas by slipping them an envelope with money, or a small gift.)
It's worse than just Boxing Day in England. Many folk pack up work on the 23rd or 24th, and don't return to work until the first working day after January 1 (could be the 3rd or 4th if Jan 1 falls on a weekend).
As well as the Commonwealth countries Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Scandinavia and the Netherlands also celebrate Boxing day and it is a public holiday so basically all of Northern Europe.
@Demiclea Of course they are Central, but they are also Northern. Norwegians are also Northern but they are also Scandinavians. They are also Western. The Brits and Spanish are Western Europeans, but one is Northern and the other is Southern. Latvia is Northern, Bulgaria is Southern, also Balkan, but both are Eastern. The location of countries can be described in more than one way you know. If you think of Northern European countries as just meaning North Western European countries, you are quite misinformed. That way of thinking would mean leaving out a country like Lithuania, which would piss them off, for as well as being a Baltic state, they are also a North European country, like Finland, except Finland is not a Baltic state, even though it has a Baltic sea coast. There are even more groupings than this, but I have to end somewhere.
I have always wanted know why we in America worked on Boxing Day. You cleared it up pretty good. Doesn't change the fact I would still would want that day off though. I have to observe that the day after Christmas bargains is still retail and does require employees to return to work.
@@brocklanders6172 Heh, heh. I don't need a pseudonym. My name is so common it is definitely anonymous. Check out how many Mike Clark's there are in New York City! Which one is me? Answer, none of them, but ...
First! As far as "master"s (employers) giving gifts to their "servants" (employees) in the US, many businesses give their employees Christmas bonuses and those bonuses are usually given before Christmas.
"Boxing Day"? It was either an episode of "Ballykissangel" or "Murdoch Mysteries" when I came across this British Commonwealth holiday and wondered about it's origin. Then I sent back to what I was doing and the subject faded from memory.
In the US, most workers will use vacation time for Christmas Eve and/or the day after Christmas to get more time off, especially if it's next to a weekend.
Also, the Boxing Day sales you speak of being common practice in Commonwealth countries could have a the American practice of return sales which is where, on the day after Christmas, parents take back the items that didn't go over well with their children in favor of items that they prefer.
On Canadians observing their own Thanksgiving holiday, they do but more than a month prior to the same holiday down here in The States -- the second week of Oct. as opposed to the third Thursday of Nov.
Thats right ! Jamestown Virginia Colony. That's in the South! That's why it's not mentioned much, I suppose. Jamestown existed about 10 years before the Pilgrims. You (anyone) might be surprised when studying Southern history.
I think in our culture, we took the day before rather then the day after. Many people have off Christmas Eve, but no one celebrates the day after. Idk 😐
I'm trying to visualize Ebeneezer Scrooge's facial expression when Bob Cratchit asks him about getting Boxing Day off as well. ....I'd imagine it would look like Laurence's expression in the thumbnail for this video.
I don’t work. My company is closed for the holidays starting December 20th and we go back to work on January 2nd. Many companies in my industry have the same schedule we have
Many people have to work ON Christmas & the day after. Doctors, nurses, police, firepersons, neespaper delivery, newspaper customer service ( I had to ans phones 6-9 am in case customers missed the paper), store clerks, and so on. Do you shop the day after? Happy, Blessed 2020 to you & yours.😻🎈
Today Americans are more likely to want Christmas Eve off rather than the day after. Siome states have already (government) traded a holiday to be off the day after Thanksgiving.
@Lady Seashell Bikini When I worked for Washington State they traded Columbus Day for the day after Thanksgiving by a wide margin. That was back in the early 90s.
My understanding of Boxing Day is that that gifts given on Christmas Day that replaced items in the house, those items were boxed and given to the poor.
Learning about BOXING DAY was very interesting. Thanks for this topic in your videos. Now you will really make us extremely happy if you learn the difference between pumpkin pie versus sweet potato pie. Hahahahaha. 😄
All many Americans get are 6 holidays a year, and that's it... unless you work for a bank or are a privileged government worker who gets those "exclusive" holidays no one else gets (MLK day, Columbus day etc.)
Yeah, for us Boxing Day was always that mysterious holiday on every American decorative calendar that nobody could explain. You can probably imagine our favorite Christmases are the ones that fall on a Friday.
I've always been aware of Boxing Day (mostly cause I buy stuff from Britain.) But way before that, I always made it a point, early in the year when people mark off their vacation days, to make one of mine the day after Christmas. Shopping is great, but TBH, I was pretty tired of it by Christmas. I just always thought that the idea of going right back to work after all the lead up to Christmas was depressing. Knowing I had that extra day off made Christmas a lot better as far as I was concerned. It's been a thing with me ever since I first became a wage slave. :)
Eight of the ten U. S. Federal holidays occur in the six months from September through February. The six months of March to August have only two-Memorial Day and Independence Day. It is pretty common now for Presidents to declare one or two more holidays such as Black Friday, but these usually only apply to the federal civil service, and many businesses do not "celibrate" all federal holidays anyway. For about eighty years, the city of Vicksburg, Mississippi did not observe the Fourth of July because that was the day it "fell" during the civil war. In some southern states, Robert E. Lee day is or has been "offered" as an "alternative" to Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday including, notably, Alabama. Cheers, Russ
As a child, I used to see on calendars _Boxing Day, Canada_ and assumed it was a holiday relating to the sport of boxing.
I assumed the same as a child!
Me too.
As an American, I didn't think it was about the Sport of Boxing so much, but by seeing it on American calendars, I did think it was only in Canada because it said Boxing day Canada. Now later American Calendars did say Boxing day UK and by that I knew it was a bigger Holiday.
Same
@pisswobble while I'm not usually the kind of twerp who'll write "FIRST!!!" in the comment section, I'll make an exception here to point out that I was the first one to say it. I happened to have my phone out when the notification came, and I watched the video immediately. If you sort the comments chronologically, you'll see that there were only four ahead of mine, and none of them mention the sport of boxing.
Imagine relaxing on Christmas day knowing you didn't have to go in to work next day.
It's great, isn't it? My company always gives us the week between Xmas and New Year's day off.
I’m Canadian, I don’t have to imagine it.
I’m Australian and love Boxing Day because it is a perfect day to recover from Christmas!
In the US we just spend the 26th returning the gifts that didn't fit or were unwanted.
In boxes.
@@gergc4871 Precisely!
Someone gives a gift and it's unwanted.
That's sad.
@@manchestertart5614 Yeah, like when you are a Seahawks fan and someone gives you a 49'ers jersey. Definitely returning that for cash.
As well as stocking up on Christmas decorations in those after Christmas 60-80% off sales!
I'm from Iowa. I only knew about Boxing day because my boyfriend is from Canada. I wish we'd pick it up though. With all the craziness and stress of the holidays, it'd be nice for everyone to get an extra day off after to just relax, or do things like edit more videos! Thank you for Vlogmas! It was my first, and I enjoyed it very much!
Or use the holiday as a day of rest and self-reflection as holidays were designed.
If you discard the bs commercialism and other unrealistic expectations that holidays have been corrupted into, the stress goes away and there is no need for an extra day.
Imagine that.
@@iamkurgan1126 Oh I completely agree! Sadly our society seems to have gone completely the other way.😔
@@jtdw10
Sadly indeed. It has taken generations to wreck our once great society. It will take generations to fix it. That 2 people understand this is a start. 😊
For kids, Christmas Day is "unboxing day".
In the US the 26th is the day for exchanging the boxed gifts at stores. It’s also St Stephen’s Day.
my mom always shopped the day after chistmas, but only to get good deals on wrapping paper :)
Boxing day has always sounded like a nice holiday. An extra day to spend time with friends & family after Christmas. Maybe we should start a new tradition??! 🎄👍😎
Boxing day is a day to recover after Christmas day.
Lately it's become a shopping day, but it's historically been a day for sports. There is always a round of football matches on Boxing day, it's a major day in the horse racing calendar and in the commonwealth nations in the southern hemisphere there will be a cricket match starting on Boxing day when England are touring there.
Gotta say, yours was one of about four channels for which I observed vlogmas, and yours was the best. Well done! Happy New Year!
Thanks for Vlogmas! It's been a gas! I'll miss having daily stuff from you.
I also remember seeing Boxing day on the calender growing up here in Utah. Well done Another great video Lost in the Pond.
Lucy Worsley takes it back further and that as Dec 26th is the feast of St. Steven and the day of distribution of dole to the poor. The English houses with servants updated that for Boxing Day, a day to reinforce class distinctions. As Americans never has large landed households, except for slave owners who had no need to give gifts to property, there was no need for a Boxing Day. And Laurence, are you sure you have never been to an after-Christmas sale in Chicago?
St. Stephen.
@@manchestertart5614 So sorry to have confused you. I was asking my servants about Sean's reply.
Lawrence - the Phillips side of my family were some of the first English colonists and arrived in Virginia in 1648! I think they may have been too busy trying to survive to celebrate Boxing Day! They were great pie makers I’m told, however! ❤️👍😉
Enlightening, I have always wondered why we don't have it here in the US, plus its actual tradition is fascinating.
Very educational, but I do have another inside man.... hahaha.... I liked it and I'm sharing it. Happy boxing day Laurence and Tarah.... be good.
3:36 This is the Eaton Centre in Toronto Ontario, Canada, at the South entrance on Queen Street East. The Canada Geese suspended from the ceiling is an art installation by Michael Snow called Flight Stop (1979). There are 60 geese. I remember one Christmas when I was a kid that the Eaton Centre put ribbons on their necks. My father mentioned years later that Mr Snow got quite angry and had them remove the ribbons as my dad put it, "they don't wear ribbons in nature."
Checking the wiki, it says that was during the Christmas season of 1981 and that Mr Snow sued the corporate owner of the Toronto Eaton Centre in 1982.
It is a beautiful piece, and I recommend checking it out, as well as reading the wiki to learn how it was created.
I’m an American and I would love to see boxing day become a holiday. When my children were young I didn’t work so I came to appreciate having the day off after Christmas just to recover and have a longer holiday. Since I’ve been working I have asked for the day after Christmas off every year and usually I can get it. I agree with the concept of boxing day I wish America would become enlightened. 😊
I think in general Americans need more holidays AND vacation time AND sick days. In australia, New Zealand your employer pays you for public holidays, even if you do not work on them (they also pay you for a certain amount of sick days a year and pays you for 4 weeks vacation each year (all paid as if you worked those days). It still blows my mind that a) americans do not get paid for holidays, sick days, or vacations, b) that americans can be forced to work on a public holiday, and c) they do not get paid anything extra for working on a public holiday. If you work Christmas or good Friday for example in Australia or New Zealand, it is because you volunteer and you will be getting at minimum 3x normal pay. Any other holiday or Sundays, you get 2x normal pay.
I think Americans get the extra day off during thanksgiving? Canada and brits don’t have that.
@@tarzanjungle3725 Thats ok. Australians, Kiwis and Poms get Boxing Day, New Years Day, Good Friday and Easter Monday off. And in the case of Australia and New Zealand, Labour Day, Queen's Birthday, Anzac Day, Australia/Waitangi Day, and a show day. And if any of these holidays fall on a saturday or sunday, you get the following Monday off.
I've always taken the day off for the two decades I've lived here. We usually have a big dinner in the English Christmas dinner style.
Well I say it wouldn't hurt to have a day off after Christmas
Maybe we just didn't want the visiting relatives to stay any longer than Christmas.
It's over...go home! 😁
If they stay longer it will be "boxing day"
Sounds good to me.
I am lucky then living in Germany.About two pm on 24th December Christmas starts here and finishes 27th. Lovely.
Growing up in Oklahoma. We used to have what was called the autumn festival or harvest festival. Alot of towns in the US have their carnivals planned on the same time period. Most do not celebrate it anymore the way I remember. This was also the time for family reunions.
Thanks for a WONDERFUL Vlogmas!
Thanks, awesome video. Boxing Day Rules (Canada here). Also thanks for the picture of the Eaton Centre in my hometown of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
:)
Some of my earliest English ancestors, William and Annis Chandler arrived at Roxbury, Massachusetts in 1637. They came from Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire, England. My direct Chandler ancestor is my gg grandmother, Sarah Jane Chandler. She is buried in Ivanhoe, Illinois, a few miles from where I still live. Sadly, No boxing day for us. But; since I am now retired I can enjoy taking the day after Christmas OFF. And the next day and the next day and the next day!!! Thank you Sarah Jane!!!!
For the longest time I thought Boxing was a popular sport in Canada because many calendars had "Boxing day (Canada)" on them.
Years ago in Ontario, Canada, Boxing Day was a day off. Sales started on the 27th of December. Now, stores are open on the 26th. The only think closed on December 26th are banks and government offices.
Growing up, my brothers and I would have a round-robin boxing tournament. The gloves were taken out after Christmas dinner. Good fun.
Is twelfth night a big thing in England? I grew up going to an Episcopal ⛪ where we would have a twelfth night celebration the Saturday evening closest to epiphany. There was a big meal at church which included plenty of alcohol😀, church members dressed in medieval costumes, etc. There was also 1 more gift under the tree for each family member at Epiphany. As a result, I never thought of Christmas being "over" until twelfth night when I was a kid
Great video! I didnt know what boxing day until last year.
Thank you for oo (is that a word?). I really enjoy your videos. I like that I learn something nearly every episode (something could come in handy one day).
I just said this to my wife, who does have the day off as she’s a teacher and gets the 23rd/24th through New Years Day off.
Well yes, it’s called Winter Break lol
Our local schools broke up for the Winter break on December 19 and restart on January 7.
Jim Gill That’s a year-round school. That’s still winter break.
From the UK I broke up on the 24th of December and I return the 2nd of January and it’s not part of my 28 days pay holiday.
Are you taking requests for a ukelele concert on New Year's? I'd like to hear your "stylings" of "Tiny Bubbles" and "Tiptoe Through The Tulips"...
Also, will you be gracing us with a Twelfth Night vid? For Ameicans who celebrate the Christmas season properly, a Twelfth Night "Do" is a must (probably because they can get pretty rowdy). Perhaps you could fill us in on party patterns in the UK.
Some years ago, I (a US citizen) asked a business associate from Ontario Canada what Boxing Day is. His reply was that it was the day Queen Elizabeth boxed up the hats she no longer wore and had them sold to raise funds for charity. Although I realized that he was "pulling my leg", I thought it was a pretty clever answer. 😉
Thank you for making this Canuck ☺️ by selecting a photo of the Eaton Centre, in Toronto.
Far too late to the party, but as a Canadian, I'll take my Thanksgiving Day, my Christmas Day _and_ my Boxing Day, thank you very much. My employer also give us New Years Day, which I don't know if it's part of the discussion here but I wouldn't give it up either. I think people spend too much of their lives at work, and one day a month (on average) to take a few hours to relax and/or celebrate is just good for the soul.
Yes, I worked. I am a case processor so working for the state government, it's back open the next day after Christmas. I try not to take off too many days because my case load goes out of control and they will only turn off the computer sorting cases if I take off a week or more. Luckily, I have a wedding out-of-state and have off from Dec 31 - Jan 14. So, I'm lucky I'm a sense of actually having lots of leave, bit it's not always worth taking off work.
Some jobs, like Healthcare and Social Service jobs are 24/7 jobs while Education jobs are not. So, it depends on the job. I've worked in all of these areas btw.
Boxing Day never made it here because Americans generally don't like being punched in the face the day after Christmas ! 😋🤭🤔
Learning to fly some might argue going to work the day after Christmas is worse! Haha
@@onderon4125
True , although American dentists say 9 out of 10 patients who enjoy being punched in the face , choose the day after Thanksgiving !
@TheRenaissanceman65
Yes , trying and succeeding .
Funny because when I was younger, I always thought it was a day to honor pugilists. 🥊🥊🥊
The number 1 reason we don't celebrate is the silly name. Boxing Day is just a silly name for a holiday. Everyone immediately things of the sport of boxing. If they come up with a good name for it we might join in.
Wait...this was filmed yesterday? Looks like it was either before the wine or after a nap 😄
I always hated working the 26th because it was in food service and we'd be just as busy after Christmas as before, except by that point the adults were totally over the holidays while the kids were spazzy because they were still off from school.
Although Dec. 26th isn't an official holiday for Boxing Day, a lot of people still get the day off, except for those of us in retailing where the day is still a major day for end of year sales. In some cases people will get Christmas Eve and possibly other days during the week as well.
Great video! Fascinating!
I came to know boxing day in Bermuda.
My best Christmas ever, with my beautiful first wife.
Didn't know it existed, thank god the hotel had food.
I rode my moped all day, with my beautiful wife, hugging me.
What a great day. It reminds of her best trait.
Funny story...
Many years ago, I worked for Sony's tech support call center, and I had a customer tell me the purchase date of their laptop was "Boxing Day". I had no idea what that was, and they couldn't understand how I wouldn't know what it was. When they eventually realized I was not in Canada (which is where they lived) they, too, were quite surprised it was totally unknown here.
Probably our proximity to Canada and for me my Mum was Canadian so we celebrated Boxing Day. Many in the Greater B-lo area are familiar with it.
Lots of people work on boxing day. Especially those in retail.
Some people have the day off, a lot don't if they have vacation time. Schools are closed until after New Years.
I'm very lucky to currently be in a position where I don't have to work during the Christmas season (I was not always that lucky), I love all the build up, but I could never justify the expense and work Christmas entails just for one day. I live in the Uk and my family tries to not only get boxing day off, but as many of the 12 days of Christmas (starting on Christmas day) as we possibly can, and the decorations don't come down until the last possible moment of 12th night. It makes all the hype and expense worth it.
Good question
I'm lucky to work for a University that gives us paid leave from Christmas Eve till New Years day.
Probably because most people who immigrated from England during the early times didn’t have servants. It was just the day after Christmas and the cows still had to milked and the horses fed. FYI, Virginia colony here
@Sean Mitchell Indentured servants were convicted criminals.
@@edennis3202 Not all.
E Dennis endentured servants were those who owed a sponsor seven years of service in return for their passage to the US.
It was not just for servants (and America bloody well did have servants (indentured) AND slaves). It was about the rich boxing up gifts for the poor. But since America also does not like giving anything to the poor (no good social security system for them), you can see why boxing up gifts for the poor never really took off in the USA.
@@glenbe4026
Plenty of socialist paradises for you to live in. Go there and get your free stuff so real Americans can get on with their lives in peace.
In the UK we get 28 statutory days paid leave a year by law. Most of them are up to the employer when we get them, but we have some days that are statutory days off. In Northern Ireland New Years Day, Easter Monday, 12th July, Christmas Day and Boxing Day are statutory. Then there are the bank holidays/public holidays that are up to the employers if you get them off, St Patricks Day, May Day, Good Friday, Spring Bank Holiday and Summer Bank Holiday. The rest are floating days or set days. For me its a fortnight at Christmas, a week at Easter, a fortnight in July and a couple of days at Halloween and Paddies Day and Mayday. England, Wales and Scotland will each have their differences but 28 days statutory in all.
As a Canadian I must say that you make the Commonwealth sound so new, I recall we were part of Greater Britain/ the British Empire prior to that. At least that was implied through the American war for independence, war of 1812, the Fenian invasion, Boer War etc. LoL.
A lot of big companies give people off the entire chunk of time from a little before Xmas until a little after New Year's.
U.S. companies seem to be driven to get the utmost (apparent) utility out of their workers by limiting days off and expecting them to work unpaid extra hours, even if entitled to overtime pay. Thus, if we in the U.S. had ever had Boxing Day off, it would have been rolled into one day with Christmas Day long since, just like Lincoln's Birthday and Washington's Birthday have been rolled into one Presidents' Day holiday.
A more fun note, I always assumed Boxing Day was for putting away decorations and disposing of gift boxes, kind of a clean-up day. We're getting the truth at last!
Rebecca Conklin Most Of is in the US like working for overtime. Unless you’re a farmer; we NEVER get ANY day off.
@@santamanone surely you mean most Americans can use the overtime pay. Certainly the cost of living is not well met by base pay, even in positions involving high training and a high level of trust. If base pay met daily needs and we wanted extras, we could then work extra hours at our choice rather than under the threat of losing our jobs. Otherwise, we could use that time to relax and enjoy our families. Or to meet someone to start a family with!
@@santamanone I'm originally from the Midwest, so I have some friends who grew up on farms. Taking care of living things, plant or animal, can take up more time than anyone has. How do you cope? Did you grow up on a farm or is this something you chose as an adult?
Boxing Day is still a thing here in Canada however now we have Black Friday which has creeped in. Most business is closed on boxing day
There are a lot of sales the day after Christmas. Our local Target was pretty full today, with lots of stuff on sale. Lots of people have (or take) the day off. Not as busy as Black Friday, but still fairly bustling.
Wish we had a target near me I have to suffer with 1 Walmart and everyone you know trying to hide from each other while returning gifts they got from each other
Boxing Day is a real worthwhile holiday. It allows everyone to unwind from Christmas and it is also a great family day. It gives people the opportunity to visit with family they hadn't had time to see on Christmas. Also it presents an alternative day for families to meet when their adult children had been predisposed with the annual Christmas dinner at their in-laws.
Another benefit is the time it provides to clean up after Christmas...get the wrapping paper into the recycle bin, vacuum up, and put the gifts away etc. I think Americans should consider adopting it. If anything, it's a good mental heath day!
Boxing day just don't sound right, it's not a catchy phrase, and Americans love catchy words and phrases. It sounds like work, like boxing things up and putting them away. That just wouldn't work in the states, especially on the day after Christmas. December 26 is the day shoppers are returning and exchanging Christmas gifts, or just relaxing from a big day of celebration on December 25. It is also a travel day for many Americans, trying to get back to their homes in other states. Boxing day just don't resonate with the majority of Americans, especially on that day.
I arrived in the UK one week prior to Christmas 1980. Everyone kept talking about Boxing Day. I turned on the television expecting all day boxing matches.
The MMA AND UFC kind of took over boxing in 'Merica!
Most people in small towns do not have to go back to work until after New Year. Iive in a medium sized Port Town in the South and only retail workers are going back to work. This is to take advantage of Post Christmas Sales where people spend a lot of money on themsrlved
Interestingly enough in the US, there are a lot of sales on December 26th. They’re nothing like the day after Thanksgiving sales though.
Anyone that works in a shop open on Boxing Day in the UK or any Commonwealth Nation has to work the day after Christmas. Boxing Day is a day full of Sales so many do work on that day in a shop. So not everyone get Boxing Day off in the UK or the Commonwealth Nations. My question is: if its so important to have the Day after Christmas off, Boxing Day, then why not Close all the shops and make only those that need to work to keep a Nation running work?
As one that has worked on Christmas and other Holidays: it doesn't feel good to have to work and miss an important day while others get it off, and the the overtime doesn't make me feel better about working on Holidays either. On the 4th of July this Year 2019: I worked and there was an Earth quake in Los Angeles so I had to do extra work Checking for Earth Quake damage at the Building I work at. I know I was paid overtime for the day but the extra money didn't make up for the extra work that wore me out. I would rather have all Holiday off than work them.
Get a professional job. I take 2 weeks off with accumulated holidays with vacation. I know this isn’t true in your area of expertise. Maybe career change.
@@finned958 Gee, I'm sure she never thought of that.
@@arrgghh1555 Not in the USA. Here you can be made to work on Holidays and not all get overtime pay
@@finned958 Yes I can always change jobs, but thats not the point. There is some jobs like police and fire that always have to have people working but then there are jobs like shops that open on Boxing Day and shops in the USA that open on Thanksgiving, to be open early for Black Friday, that don't have to be open. The employees that work on Thanksgiving in the USA are told they will be fired if they don't come in and why do they work? Its all for corporation to make more money and so customers can buy things cheaper. As one who has worked holidays I know what it like to work on them and how it feels and its not right that shops open while others get the time off. Not many think of why employees have to work to serve the lucky ones that have it off can enjoy themselves and shops can make money. They work for the greed of others, but the rest say its so important to have it off without a care for those that have to work. Self-centered people only caring about what they get. When it comes to big companies that get there shops open on holidays: well all the executive get the day off, but the employees on the bottom work so the top can make the big money.
To those reading this: the point of my first comment was: Many British people tell us Americans how important it is to get the day after Christmas off and why don't we Americans get it off, so I commented that not all British people get it off. Many have to work on that day. Then I shared my feelings on what its like to have to work on a holiday when others have it off. I guess a few of you missed the whole point. Gee not to bright of you!
2:58 Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Australia...
Oops. Was deeply hungover.
@@LostinthePond There are two Congos.
@@michaelfisher9267 and closer to home, two Guyana's.
On a side note, I didn't realise South Africa was in the commonwealth. Turns out they rejoined in 1994. I guess I missed the memo.
We have Boxing day in the UK.
Banks are closed but money can be got out of the hole in the wall, so there's plenty of money to spend at the sales.
Many shops/stores are open and it's back to business.
Most of my family worked until late on Christmas eve and were back at work early on the 26th. It's normal.
I work on Christmas too...
Me too and I never enjoyed it. Having to work when everyone else is off doesn't make me happy. I rather have an extra day off.
We Americans seem to get less time off from work than most places.
We definitely need the day after Christmas off. But we dont need another crazy shopping day. We need a day to unwind. Take it easy. Enjoy the season. Its a quiet day for me. It is just too soon to get back to work on the 26th.
The Day after Christmas is often seen as a day of sales, discounts and shopping in the US. When I worked in retail, it was probably the busiest day of the year. Even busier than Black Friday. We don't call it Boxing Day or make it an official holiday, but we do celebrate it in a way. (Also, very few people in the US have had servants, so few have had cause to give out a "Christmas Box" on the 26th. If we do tip tradesmen, postal workers, or other service workers, we tend to do that before Christmas by slipping them an envelope with money, or a small gift.)
"Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia"
It's worse than just Boxing Day in England. Many folk pack up work on the 23rd or 24th, and don't return to work until the first working day after January 1 (could be the 3rd or 4th if Jan 1 falls on a weekend).
I thought everyone worked on the 26th and I'm not even American
As well as the Commonwealth countries Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Scandinavia and the Netherlands also celebrate Boxing day and it is a public holiday so basically all of Northern Europe.
@Demiclea Of course they are Central, but they are also Northern. Norwegians are also Northern but they are also Scandinavians. They are also Western. The Brits and Spanish are Western Europeans, but one is Northern and the other is Southern. Latvia is Northern, Bulgaria is Southern, also Balkan, but both are Eastern. The location of countries can be described in more than one way you know. If you think of Northern European countries as just meaning North Western European countries, you are quite misinformed. That way of thinking would mean leaving out a country like Lithuania, which would piss them off, for as well as being a Baltic state, they are also a North European country, like Finland, except Finland is not a Baltic state, even though it has a Baltic sea coast. There are even more groupings than this, but I have to end somewhere.
i have been with many companies that gave multiple vacation days on the Xmas week.
It's both my mother's birthday and my birthday the next day (27th) so in my family we continue to celebrate
I have always wanted know why we in America worked on Boxing Day. You cleared it up pretty good. Doesn't change the fact I would still would want that day off though. I have to observe that the day after Christmas bargains is still retail and does require employees to return to work.
I worked today. The medical field is 24/7. The staff is unusually quiet on the 26th because we're still partied out from Christmas.
The Virginia colonies were started way before the Puritans. My ancestors came to Virginia from England in 1620.
Brock Landers says the person with the most Scandinavian name in the world.
@@jonathanfinan722 You do realize that the name is fake, right? It's a character from the film Boogie Nights, you moron.
What? All of them? Wouldn't that make you seriously inbred? ... Sorry, just kidding!!!
@@brocklanders6172 Heh, heh. I don't need a pseudonym. My name is so common it is definitely anonymous. Check out how many Mike Clark's there are in New York City! Which one is me? Answer, none of them, but ...
@@cyberherbalist same. I often see my name in movie credits. And Googling myself just by name gives pages of results that don't include me.
First!
As far as "master"s (employers) giving gifts to their "servants" (employees) in the US, many businesses give their employees Christmas bonuses and those bonuses are usually given before Christmas.
Jam of the month club.
Thud Thud here is your prize for first.....⭐️🍪
And they're usually taxed.
"Boxing Day"? It was either an episode of "Ballykissangel" or "Murdoch Mysteries" when I came across this British Commonwealth holiday and wondered about it's origin. Then I sent back to what I was doing and the subject faded from memory.
You taught me more about history than school did.
Lol
Cheerio 😘
In the US, most workers will use vacation time for Christmas Eve and/or the day after Christmas to get more time off, especially if it's next to a weekend.
It's my birthday today also...and yes, I worked this day.
Also, the Boxing Day sales you speak of being common practice in Commonwealth countries could have a the American practice of return sales which is where, on the day after Christmas, parents take back the items that didn't go over well with their children in favor of items that they prefer.
On Canadians observing their own Thanksgiving holiday, they do but more than a month prior to the same holiday down here in The States -- the second week of Oct. as opposed to the third Thursday of Nov.
You have no idea how long it took me to realize that Boxing Day wasn’t for a bunch of boxing matches
Jamestown happened first....The Mayflower came after so much had already been established....
Thats right ! Jamestown Virginia Colony. That's in the South! That's why it's not mentioned much, I suppose. Jamestown existed about 10 years before the Pilgrims. You (anyone) might be surprised when studying Southern history.
And both came after the failed attempt of Roanoke NC
I think in our culture, we took the day before rather then the day after. Many people have off Christmas Eve, but no one celebrates the day after. Idk 😐
You have boxing day (in the UK), in the Netherlands, we have a 2nd Christmas day.
I'm trying to visualize Ebeneezer Scrooge's facial expression when Bob Cratchit asks him about getting Boxing Day off as well. ....I'd imagine it would look like Laurence's expression in the thumbnail for this video.
Even non-commonwealth countries often have the day as a holiday. For example, it is called "St. Stephen's Day" in Ireland and Italy.
I don’t work. My company is closed for the holidays starting December 20th and we go back to work on January 2nd. Many companies in my industry have the same schedule we have
Many people have to work ON Christmas & the day after. Doctors, nurses, police, firepersons, neespaper delivery, newspaper customer service ( I had to ans phones 6-9 am in case customers missed the paper), store clerks, and so on. Do you shop the day after? Happy, Blessed 2020 to you & yours.😻🎈
Today Americans are more likely to want Christmas Eve off rather than the day after. Siome states have already (government) traded a holiday to be off the day after Thanksgiving.
@Lady Seashell Bikini When I worked for Washington State they traded Columbus Day for the day after Thanksgiving by a wide margin. That was back in the early 90s.
My understanding of Boxing Day is that that gifts given on Christmas Day that replaced items in the house, those items were boxed and given to the poor.
Some early states banned Christmas. When was this ban repealed?
Learning about BOXING DAY was very interesting. Thanks for this topic in your videos. Now you will really make us extremely happy if you learn the difference between pumpkin pie versus sweet potato pie. Hahahahaha. 😄
All many Americans get are 6 holidays a year, and that's it... unless you work for a bank or are a privileged government worker who gets those "exclusive" holidays no one else gets (MLK day, Columbus day etc.)
Yeah, for us Boxing Day was always that mysterious holiday on every American decorative calendar that nobody could explain. You can probably imagine our favorite Christmases are the ones that fall on a Friday.
I've always been aware of Boxing Day (mostly cause I buy stuff from Britain.) But way before that, I always made it a point, early in the year when people mark off their vacation days, to make one of mine the day after Christmas. Shopping is great, but TBH, I was pretty tired of it by Christmas. I just always thought that the idea of going right back to work after all the lead up to Christmas was depressing. Knowing I had that extra day off made Christmas a lot better as far as I was concerned. It's been a thing with me ever since I first became a wage slave. :)
Eight of the ten U. S. Federal holidays occur in the six months from September through February. The six months of March to August have only two-Memorial Day and Independence Day. It is pretty common now for Presidents to declare one or two more holidays such as Black Friday, but these usually only apply to the federal civil service, and many businesses do not "celibrate" all federal holidays anyway. For about eighty years, the city of Vicksburg, Mississippi did not observe the Fourth of July because that was the day it "fell" during the civil war. In some southern states, Robert E. Lee day is or has been "offered" as an "alternative" to Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday including, notably, Alabama. Cheers, Russ
In Greece 26th of December od also a holiday, but 2nd of January isn't, so after Christmas we rest but after New year's Day we work.