WASHINGTON – As Christmas Day begins, the United Kingdom and British Commonwealth countries look forward to Boxing Day on Thursday.

Boxing Day is celebrated in the UK on December 26th, the day after Christmas. Despite the name, the holiday has nothing to do with the sport of boxing or the return of boxes or gifts.

History.com explains that one theory about the origin of the holiday is that the day after Christmas, boxes full of small gifts and money were distributed to domestic workers and employees who had to work on December 25th. The gifts were intended as a thank you. We thank you for your service throughout the year.

Although the origin of the holiday is unclear, Dictionary.com claims that it has existed since the 18th century.

Over the years, the holiday has evolved to become an extension of the Christmas season, with family and friends coming together to celebrate together. In the United Kingdom and other British Commonwealth countries, Boxing Day is also one of the most popular shopping days of the year, rivaling Black Friday in the United States.

However, it is important to note that Boxing Day has nothing to do with wrapping or returning Christmas presents in boxes. However, in Britain, people now associate the holiday with football.

There are eight Premier League games scheduled for Boxing Day this year.

Former footballer and current TV analyst Robbie Earle described in a 2019 video that when he thinks of Boxing Day, he thinks of “the biggest game of the Premier League season.”