Have you ever heard of Boxing Day? Boxing Day is a national holiday in Australia, Britain, New Zealand and Canada that is celebrated on December 26th. Boxing Day is primarily known as a shopping holiday, much like how the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, is in the United States. The exact etymology of the term “boxing” is unclear. There are several competing theories, none of which are definitive. The European tradition, which has long included giving money and other gifts to those who were needy and in service positions, has been dated to the Middle Ages, but the exact origin is unknown. It may come from a custom in the late Roman/early Christian era, wherein metal boxes placed outside churches were used to collect special offerings tied to the Feast of St. Stephen, which in the Western Church falls on the same day as Boxing Day.