Prep for a knockout

How December 26 became the infamous Boxing Day.

Right after Santa has visited us and showered us with presents (if we were nice) and after the hefty turkey dinner we indulged in along with our loved ones, comes Boxing Day. 'What is Boxing Day?' you ask. Does everyone need to get on a pair of gloves and pretend to be Muhammad Ali for a day? Well, no. Boxing Day has nothing to do with the sport, rather, with an age-old tradition.

The history

The concept originated in the United Kingdom around 800 years ago, when servants would get a day off to go home and visit their families, bringing along Christmas boxes their employers had gifted them. In the spirit of giving, another practice had collection boxes for the poor kept in churches where the congregation would donate throughout the festive season and when attending Christmas mass. The boxes were then opened on December 26 and distributed amongst the needy.  

Now, Boxing Day is also celebrated in Canada, the USA, Australia, and New Zealand. Much like the day before, it is a day of spending quality time with friends and family along with watching sports, eating leftovers from the previous night, and indulging in a teensy bit of shopping (as if we needed another excuse!). 

Traditional Bites 

Traditional Boxing Day food includes leftover turkey sandwiches, pudding, and mince pies, along with a slice of Christmas cake while watching a football or rugby game.

The retail side

Another day, another sale! Over the years, Boxing Day has turned into an opportunity for retailers to slash prices.  From TVs and apparel, to toys and kitchenware, everything is sold at 70 to 90 per cent off. The origin for this is the Christmas Day Trading Act, which prohibits all large-scale stores from trading on December 25 in England and Wales. To catch up on the drop in sales from the day before, retailers reduce their prices to entice customers to shop till they drop often bringing in tremendous profits.  This has now spread like wildfire across the globe.

Celebrate in Dubai

While Boxing Day is not a public holiday here, expatriates from the celebrating countries would love to feel at home during this time. Plus, it's a Saturday! Bag a discount for yourself in the 12-hour flash sale with up to 90 per cent off across City Centre Deira, City Centre Me'aisem, City Centre Mirdif, City Centre Al Shindagha, Mall of the Emirates and My City Centre Al Barsha, as part of DSF.

To savour a delicious feast, try Stars N Bars at La Mer for a Boxing Day brunch or delight in fresh barbecue at The Pangolin. Head over to Gordon Ramsey's Hell's Kitchen, Marina Social or the Irish McGettigan's, for a more authentic vibe.

Whatever your wish, there's plenty waiting for all.