4.What do you people?
For many people Boxing Day is a time to recover from the excesses of Christmas Day and an opportunity to spend time with family, friends, and neighbors. Some people choose to go for a walk in the countryside, while others flock to the post-Christmas sales that often being on Boxing Day. Some people even spend part of the high and early morning queuing to get into the stores when the best bargains are still available. Boxing Day is also an important day for sporting events. Traditionally, fox hunting was a popular sport in the upper class.
5.Activities
- Shopping and the Boxing Day Sales
While government buildings and small businesses are closed, the mall are filled with people either exchanging gifts or buying reduced priced Christmas gifts, cards, and decorations.
Most shops and department stores have reduced opening times and usually operate a Sunday time period.
- Boxing Day Events
Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day is classed as the Christmas Season with Boxing Day falling on the following Monday if December 26th falls on a Saturday or Sunday. Relaxing on Boxing Day is what the majority of people do but some people get out and take part in sporting events. Football matches and horse racing as well as shopping in the sales are some of the popular Boxing Day past times. Traditionally, matches on Boxing Day are played against local rivals. This ideas was to avoid teams and their supporters having to travel long distances to away games the day after Christmas Day. The Boxing Day match is also a very popular event in the sporting calendar.
- The Boxing Day Traditional Dip
The Boxing Day Dip is a charity event where people in fancy dress swim in the sea on Boxing Day. There are several such dips held around Europe, but the largest is organized by the Lions Club of Sunderland, England. The dip takes place at Seaburn beach in Sunderland. Participants are expected to wear fancy dress and jump into the North sea. A roaring bonfire meets the swimmers coming out of the sea and all participants receive a medal for bravery.