As the Christmas season winds down, Boxing Day, celebrated on December 26th, offers a wonderful opportunity to keep the festive spirit alive in your ESL classroom. While this holiday is best known in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and other Commonwealth countries, it’s a meaningful day to teach students about kindness, gratitude, and giving—and to wrap up the year with joy and connection.
In this post, we’ll explore the origins of Boxing Day, its traditions, and creative ways to bring this day of generosity and appreciation into your ESL lessons.
Understanding Boxing Day: A Day of Kindness and Gratitude
Boxing Day has been celebrated for centuries, with roots tracing back to Britain. Though the exact origins are a bit of a mystery, most historians agree that Boxing Day was a day for giving—not receiving.
Here are the two main stories behind its name:
The “Christmas boxes” tradition: In past centuries, employers gave their servants boxes filled with gifts, money, or leftovers from the Christmas feast as a thank-you for their service throughout the year.
The church connection: Churches often opened their alms boxes (collection boxes for donations) the day after Christmas and distributed the contents to those in need.
Over time, Boxing Day became a broader celebration of kindness and community, encouraging people to give gifts or donations to others, especially to those less fortunate. Today, it’s also a day for relaxation, family time, and sharing joy after the busy Christmas season.
Why Teach Boxing Day in the ESL Classroom?
For ESL teachers, Boxing Day provides the perfect blend of cultural learning and language practice. Students get to explore:
British and Commonwealth holiday traditions
Vocabulary related to charity, gratitude, and giving
Writing and speaking skills through reflection and sharing activities
It’s also a beautiful way to end the year on a positive note—celebrating kindness and connection rather than just presents.
Classroom Activities to Celebrate Boxing Day
Here are a few teacher-friendly and low-prep ESL classroom ideas to celebrate Boxing Day while encouraging language learning and empathy.
Kindness Boxes
Have students make a small “kindness box” for a classmate.
Provide small paper boxes (or origami templates) and invite them to decorate the outside with festive designs or drawings. Inside, they can include:
A thank-you note
A compliment card
A small sticker or piece of candy
A positive message or Bible verse (if appropriate in your context)
This is a sweet, tangible way for students to express appreciation and practice writing skills in English. You can also connect it to the historical meaning of Boxing Day—giving from the heart.
Boxing Day Cards
Encourage your students to design and write cards inspired by Boxing Day.
Provide prompts such as:
“Thank you for helping me this year.”
“You make my classroom a happy place.”
“I appreciate your friendship.”
This activity practices sentence structure, gratitude vocabulary, and letter-writing conventions. Once finished, students can exchange cards or display them on a classroom wall titled “Our Kindness Corner.”
Gingerbread Partner Game
Add a playful twist to your lesson with this movement-based activity!
Draw a large gingerbread man on the board and tell students they each have a “gingerbread partner.” Give each student a small paper gingerbread cutout and have them walk around the room to find their match (e.g., matching colors, shapes, or messages).
Once they find their partner, have them:
Share one thing they are thankful for this Christmas season
Say one kind thing about someone in the class
This light-hearted game helps students practice speaking fluency and build community in a relaxed, festive way.
Acts of Kindness Brainstorm
Invite the class to brainstorm a list of simple acts of kindness they could do at home, at school, or in their community. Write them on the board together. Examples might include:
Helping clean up after dinner
Writing a thank-you note to a teacher or parent
Donating toys or books to charity
Saying something kind to a classmate
Then, have students write one sentence about how they will spread kindness during the holiday break. This can lead to a meaningful reflective discussion about how giving can be just as joyful as receiving.
Boxing Day Reading or Listening Activity
Read a short passage (or play an audio clip) about the origins of Boxing Day.
Then, ask comprehension questions such as:
What is Boxing Day?
When is it celebrated?
Why do people give gifts on this day?
What do churches do on Boxing Day?
You can also include a vocabulary match or true/false quiz to reinforce learning.
This type of task works especially well for intermediate ESL learners who are practicing listening and comprehension skills.
Reflective Writing: “What I’m Thankful For”
End your Boxing Day lesson with a reflective writing activity. Ask students to write a short paragraph about what they are thankful for this Christmas season.
Prompts to guide them:
What made this year special for you?
Who are you thankful for, and why?
What act of kindness could you do for someone else?
This not only strengthens writing and emotional expression but also helps students close the year with gratitude and positivity.
Extension Ideas for Your ESL Classroom
If you have more time—or teach multiple levels—you can adapt Boxing Day themes in a variety of creative ways:
Beginner learners: Use visuals and simple matching games for vocabulary.
Intermediate learners: Incorporate short readings and guided writing prompts.
Advanced learners: Discuss how holidays reflect cultural values and compare Boxing Day to traditions in their own countries.
You can also combine Boxing Day with New Year reflections, creating a lesson that bridges gratitude for the past year with hope for the one ahead.
Teaching Boxing Day in the ESL classroom is about more than exploring a British holiday—it’s about celebrating gratitude, generosity, and human connection.
By weaving together vocabulary, storytelling, crafts, and reflection, teachers can create lessons that touch both the mind and the heart. It’s a simple yet powerful way to remind students that the season of giving doesn’t end on Christmas Day—it continues through every act of kindness we share.
By weaving together vocabulary, storytelling, crafts, and reflection, teachers can create lessons that touch both the mind and the heart. It’s a simple yet powerful way to remind students that the season of giving doesn’t end on Christmas Day—it continues through every act of kindness we share.
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