Boxing Day is one of those days where millions of people up and down the country do a lot of the same things and sometimes nothing at all.
The roots of this holiday can be traced to British tradition, but Australians have grabbed hold and run with it, creating their own traditions and celebrations on this day in the summer heat.
You’ll wake up groggy and a little hungover
There’s no getting away from this one, you most likely drank from 9am until midnight on Christmas Day. No matter how many roast potatoes you ate to soak up the booze, you know you didn’t alternate your drinks with enough water, so a headache is very, very probable today. Thankfully recovery is exactly what Boxing Day was meant for.
Read: The one thing a nutritionist would never do at Christmas
You’ll tune in to the Sydney to Hobart yacht race
Another important sporting event that begins on Boxing Day is the annual yacht race, also known as the Bluewater Classic. The race starts from Sydney and travels 630 nautical miles, finishing in Hobart in Tasmania.
Traditionally, it took about six days for these yachts to reach the finishing line, but nowadays they typically take only two days.
Your living room will be a mess
Mountains of wrapping paper, empty chocolate boxes (did you really eat all the Favourites!), toys and presents strewn about, and the tree in disarray. You don’t dare look in the kitchen …
You might watch the Boxing Day Test
One of the best-known traditions of Australia’s Boxing Day is the Test, where a whopping 100,000 cricket fans head to MCG.
Many bars and backyard gatherings tune in to watch on the TV. This way you can enjoy the sport without burning to a crisp in the sun, all the while eating and drinking as much as you like.
You probably won’t have a shower or get dressed until well into the afternoon
Yes, you’ve regressed to childhood, and it’s fine. You can slump around in your pyjamas for as long as you like, while batting away questions from parents (and children) about whether or not you plan to get dressed today.
You’ll watch about seven hours of TV
Three Christmas films back to back? Why the hell not, it’s Boxing Day, and it’s pretty much your duty to relax today more than you’ve ever relaxed before.
You’ll have a meal approximately every two hours
#BoxingDayFood Hoping everyone had a great weekend, and Christmas! pic.twitter.com/4Xwwhqx4Uq
— DJ. DOPENESS ? ™ (@DJ_Dopeness__) December 27, 2016
It has to be eaten and you’re happy to take on the job; and, of course, there’ll be several cheese courses.
You might head to the shops
The post-Christmas sales begin on Boxing Day, offering severely reduce priced items of excess stock that wasn’t sold pre-Christmas. Many people take advantage of the sales and shopping centres are often packed with bargain hunters.
Read: Explained: A bloke’s guide to the Boxing Day sales
You’ll go for a Boxing Day walk
Sure, it was pretty hard to part with your pyjamas but you managed it. The fresh air does wonders for your hangover and you convince yourself that the hour-long stroll has burned off the three helpings of roast dinner and two chocolate Santas.
You’ll play a board game
Probably the one and only time of the year (unless you also played one yesterday) when your family crowds around for a game of Scrabble or Articulate, and it almost always ends up with an argument, someone cheating, everyone giving up halfway through (why did you even start Monopoly?).
Unless you’ve chosen Trivial Pursuit – then you discover a family member’s surprising talent for random general knowledge, or how someone knows shockingly little.
Read: Christmas games to play with the family
You’ll nap
You may have slept in until 11am but all that cheese has made you sleepy. And you already know the ending to the films, anyway.
You’ll probably light up the barbecue
Despite all the big events and shopping options on offer during this holiday, many families opt to stay at home on Boxing Day, setting up the backyard or deck for the perfect barbecue.
What does your Boxing Day typically look like? What’s your favourite part of the day? Let us know in the comments section below.
– With PA
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