Families play on the snow-covered slopes at Barnett Demesne Park, Belfast

© Stephen Barnes/Alam

A Boxing Day stroll

Boxing Day is nothing to do with the sport of boxing - although for many of us, settling in to watch a bit of sport, notably football and rugby, is very much part of the day. For others, a bracing walk after a day of Christmas indulgence is a popular activity, like the people in our homepage image of historic estate-turned-public park Barnett Demesne, in Belfast.

In older traditions, 26 December was the day nobles and other property owners offered gifts to their staff. It's not clear if 'boxing' refers to the boxes that held these presents, or to donation boxes set up for the poor on the day, nor if these were so much gifts, as reminders of one's place on the social ladder. Boxing Day will be very different for many of us this year amid restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic but whatever you’re up to, consider paying homage to the day's origins by pledging to do a good turn for someone less fortunate.