Happy Boxing Day to the Commonwealth countries of the British Empire. For those who are not acquainted with Boxing Day, from someone who often wondered why our Canadian neighbors held boxing matches on the day after Christmas, I am ready to admit the error of my ways.

After making friends with Canadian snowbirds in Arizona and taking some trips across our northern border, I learned the truth about Boxing Day. It is a public holiday in the United Kingdom and many other Commonwealth countries, including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand on December 26th. Disclaimer: Being an American Revolutionary, I am a British traitor. I won’t guarantee that the information I gleaned from the web about Boxing Day is accurate. Please correct any errors you find in the comments.

In honor of Boxing Day, I am featuring images captured from various journeys to the few countries of the Commonwealth that I have had the pleasure of visiting. I begin the photo gallery with a visit to Niagara Falls where three major waterfalls on the Niagara River separate Canada from the United States. The image above was captured from the top of Skylon Tower, an observation tower at Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada.

Ontario and Newfoundland are especially fond of celebrating Boxing Day with an ancient tradition called Mumming. In some places, mumming takes the form of a folk play or farce, a lighthearted performance that brings laughter and joy during the Twelve Days of Christmas. In Canada, however, mumming is characterized by its playful pranks and elaborate costumes. Groups of mummers, their faces hidden behind disguises, roam neighborhoods, engaging in playful antics and surprising unsuspecting residents.

Boxing Day is a day when people traditionally give gifts to those who are less fortunate, such as servants and tradespeople. It’s also a day when people watch or play sports, such as football or rugby, and eat leftovers from Christmas dinner.

Another observation tower is in the nearest major city in Canada to us in North Dakota, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Winnipeg is some 220 miles (356 km) from Fargo. In the last few years, we’ve made a few trips across the border to Winnipeg and to other cities north of the Great Lakes. One of the most impressive places to visit in Winnipeg is the Human Rights Museum. We spent a full afternoon there and finished our museum visit at the top of the tower for some beautiful views of the city.

Near Winnipeg, Lower Fort Garry is now a popular tourist destination. Visitors can explore the fort’s buildings, which have been restored to their 1850s appearance. Several interpretive exhibits tell the story of the fort and its role in Canadian history.

But why is it called “Boxing Day”? Some say it’s because people used to give boxes of food and gifts to their servants on this day. Others say it’s because of the “Christmas box,” which was a box of money or gifts that employers gave to their employees.

Near the Tower of London, Tower Bridge crosses the Thames River. The iconic bridge is often confused with the previous London Bridge which is now in Arizona (long story.) Tower Bridge opened in 1910 with great celebrations.

On Boxing Day, traffic on the bridge often consists of shoppers wishing to take advantage of deep discounts offered by merchants, or maybe they are on their way to one of the many sporting events like horse racing, rugby, or cricket matches. I imagine that the UK embraces this post-Christmas holiday with warmth, cheer, and a touch of British eccentricity.

The arch in the image above allows rail traffic to pass above the city street in this area northwest of the Tower of London. There are many restaurants and pubs in this neighborhood. It was a quiet evening when I took a photo walk along this street.

Boxing Day is celebrated on December 26, the same day as Saint Stephen’s Day, a Western Christian feast day that commemorates the first Christian martyr. Eastern Christianity celebrates the day on December 27. Saint Stephen was one of the seven deacons chosen by the early Christian community in Jerusalem to distribute food and aid to the poor and needy.

Over the years of cruising the Caribbean, we’ve visited two island members of the British Commonwealth. Early in the morning, our ship arrived for our visit to Tortola in the eastern Caribbean. They once said the sun never sets on the British Empire, we’ve yet to visit Australia or New Zealand where the sun was most certainly shining when this image was captured. In Australia, Boxing Day is the second-busiest shopping day of the year, after Black Friday.

When the sun rises on Tortola’s Boxing Day, many restaurants offer special Boxing Day menus featuring traditional Caribbean dishes. By the time nightlife comes alive, Boxing Day celebrations often feature live music from reggae bands to steel drums.

Another Commonwealth island is Grand Turk in the Caribbean. Apparently, there isn’t a lot to do on the island except go to the beach. The day we were there, two cruise ships disgorged thousands of passengers. From my perspective walking along the pier, we decided we’d go shopping instead. Maybe we could pick up a special gift for Boxing Day. The islands celebrate Boxing Day in typical Caribbean style. In the Bahamas, for example, Junkanoo Carnival is a multi-day celebration held every Boxing Day through New Year’s Day. Junkanoo is a highly anticipated annual celebration.

In Nova Scotia, Boxing Day is much more relaxed than much of the rest of the Commonwealth. The holiday is a time to unwind after the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season. Shopping on Boxing Day is apparently not a “thing” in the province. Both Christmas Day and Boxing Day are designated retail closing days in Nova Scotia, which means you can expect almost every retail outlet to be shut down for the two days. If you must do something to celebrate the holiday, the Boxing Day Dip in the icy cool waters of the province will probably suffice.

Boxing Day, in French-speaking Montreal is known as le lendemain de Noël. The city celebrates Boxing Day with retail sales events, outdoor winter activities, and continuing the festive spirit of the holiday season.

Just a few steps outside our Holiday Inn, a pedestrian mall features shops and stores catering to Chinese residents and tourists alike. Coming off our Transatlantic cruise still missing our lost luggage, we didn’t have nice warm jackets like most of the people we saw. Our outdoor visit was limited by our ability to withstand the cold in only the replacement clothes purchased in warm and sunny Rio de Janeiro. By the way, I don’t know how to translate Boxing Day into Chinese in any dialect. Sorry.

For my friends and readers who live in the Commonwealth, I wish you a Happy Boxing Day, in whatever way you celebrate it. Oh, I almost forgot my Boxing Day gift for our Canadian neighbors. I hope regifting is OK. I am regifting Justin Bieber to Canada. Enjoy.

John Steiner