What is Boxing Day and why is it a tradition of the English Premier League

Gift Day’s fixture list is one of the most anticipated and celebrated days of the Premier League season.

This season, 12 of the 20 Premier League teams have scheduled to play on Gift Day, with the other two playing the next day (full schedule at bottom of this post).

Other leagues across Europe take a two-week break for the Christmas and New Year holidays, but the UK is still doing its best. US fans might equate this day with how the NFL is synonymous with Thanksgiving, or (to a lesser extent) Christmas Day for the NBA. Premier League matches soar in ratings as fans plan to become home on the couch, enjoy Christmas Day leftovers and indulge in Premier League football.

THAN: Your Guide to Premier League Gifting Day

So what is Boxing Day and how did it come to be? Here’s a look at the history and traditions surrounding Gift Day in the UK.

What is Gift Day?

Boxing Day is an annual holiday in the UK that falls on December 26, or the day after Christmas. It’s a “bank holiday” — essentially what Americans call a federal holiday — which means most businesses are closed and most employees have the day off.

The term “Gift Day” originates from Charles Dickens, who coined the term in 1833, and Boxing Day is a holiday established in 1871, although the holiday is believed to date back to 1871. Victorian era. It is named after the tradition of owners handing out Christmas gift boxes to employees, especially to servants and other household employees who are required to work around Christmas.

Today, while the original intention of the holiday is gone (instead, most holiday charity events now take place before Christmas), the day is known for two things: sports and shopping.

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Who has the best record on Gift Day?

In the first year of the Football League in 1888, Derby County played Bolton Wanderers and West Brom hosted Preston North End on Gift Day. Since then, 3,730 English FA matches have been played on Boxing Day according to the Association of Football Statisticians.

West Brom played the most Thanksgiving Day games in league history, with 105 games scored with a 44W-39L-22D record. Manchester United took the most points on Gift Day, with 171 points collected from a record 51W-27L-18D in 96 Gift Day matches.

The player with the most goals on Boxing Day in Premier League history is Robbie Fowler with 9 goals, behind him is Harry Kane with 8 goals. The most successful Boxing Day match in Premier League history was the 4-4 draw between Chelsea and Aston Villa in 2007.

The highest boxing day in British top flight history occurred in 1963, when a strange 66 goals were scored in 10 matches, marked by Fulham’s 10-1 win over Ipswich Town and Blackburn’s 8-2 win over West Ham.

The Importance of Gift Day for Football and Other Sports

Boxing Day is a major event on the sporting calendar in the United Kingdom.

For football fans, they will see the Premier League load matches throughout the day. This year, there are seven Giveaways Day matches that span a total of seven hours of gameplay starting at 10 a.m. ET and running through to 5 p.m. ET, with slight breaks between the modes. judgment.

Adding up all the matches, there will be 14 hours of Premier League football on December 26 of this year (plus injury time, of course).

However, football isn’t the only sport that celebrates Gift Day with a showcase event. Cricket competition – the sport’s longest, oldest and most “pure” form of competition – also often features a major event on Boxing Day, usually the first of the five scheduled days for a tournament. test match.

Australia has hosted the annual Boxing Day competition since 1990, usually at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. If Ashes were to take place in Australia in December of that year, like this year, one of the tests would certainly start on Gifting Day.

Horse racing in the UK is also often scheduled on Gift Day, marked by King George VI Chase, the second most popular horse race on the sport’s calendar after the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

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How to watch Premier League Giveaways Day

Premier League matches are broadcast in the United States on the NBCUniversal networks (NBC, NBCSN, USA Network, Telemundo and Universo) and its Peacock streaming service.

Premier League matches on NBC and NBCSN will be streamed on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app for verified cable, satellite or telecom subscribers.

• Day: Friday, August 13, 2021, to Sunday, May 22, 2022
• TV channels (USA): NBC, NBCSN, USA Network, CNBC (certain matches)
• Spanish TV: Telemundo, Universo (select matches)
• Streaming online: NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app, Peacock

TV matches can also be broadcast live on fuboTV, offers a free seven-day trial .