Boxing Day is called so because, historically, it was a day when boxes of gifts or money were given to servants, tradespeople, and the poor. During Victorian England, servants worked on Christmas Day to serve their wealthy employers, and the next day, December 26, they were given a "Christmas box" containing money, gifts, or leftover food as a thank-you and allowed to visit their own families. The term "Boxing Day" refers to these charitable boxes, not the sport of boxing. The holiday has also been associated with churches opening alms boxes to distribute donations to the poor. Over time, Boxing Day evolved into a public holiday marked by shopping, sporting events, and spending time with family.