# Attention Brits, Canucks, OZ: re: Confusing the yanks with Boxing Day **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 1, 2010, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-brits-canucks-oz-re-confusing-the-yanks-with-boxing-day/523332 "2010-01-01T21:33:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-brits-canucks-oz-re-confusing-the-yanks-with-boxing-day/523332/21 "2010-01-04T00:06:32Z")
> [@Noel\_Prosequi](#): > > The words “Boxing Day” even sound weird in an American accent. What do they sound like in a Canadian accent? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Noel\_Prosequi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b19c9b/32.png) [@Noel\_Prosequi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noel_Prosequi)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-brits-canucks-oz-re-confusing-the-yanks-with-boxing-day/523332/22 "2010-01-05T02:39:57Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > What do they sound like in a Canadian accent? > > 😃 Never heard it, which is probably why it is weird in an American accent. If I was used to hearing Canadians say it, it wouldn’t be, I guess. And in response to _Martini_, I am glad that someone else noticed the surfeit of American accents, too. My theory is that, to Australians, over-excited Americans shilling products just sound like Vince peddling Sham-Wow, or US sports commentators getting wound up over something. Same old, same old. Over-excited Australians, however, sound like Steve Irwin, which kind of grates. It’s a bit counter-cultural for a local to get that worked up, and so sounds fake. ---
**Author:** ![Noel\_Prosequi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b19c9b/32.png) [@Noel\_Prosequi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noel_Prosequi)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-brits-canucks-oz-re-confusing-the-yanks-with-boxing-day/523332/23 "2010-01-05T02:44:43Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Well, if you are used to a Ning Nang Nong accent, I imagine any other accent is going to sound weird. Difficult to hear anything above the racket of [cows going bong, mice going clang and monkeys going boo.](http://www.koikadit.net/SMilligan/ningnangnong.html) But I get by. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-brits-canucks-oz-re-confusing-the-yanks-with-boxing-day/523332/24 "2010-01-05T02:54:14Z")
> [@Valteron](#): > > As a Canadian, I can tell you that nothing confuses Americans like the concept of Boxing Day (December 26). > > In Britain, Canada, Australia and most of the English-speaking world, it is usually observed as a holiday. The origin of the name is obscure, but it is believed to have something to do with opening “poor boxes” in Churches on December 26 (presumably after the people attending church on December 25 had been moved to generosity) and distributing the proceeds to those less fortunate. > > But oddly enough, Americans by and large know nothing about this holiday or its name. Why would they? We get their TV and movies, they get little of ours. As for Wrestling Day, my claim about the snow snakes is enough; I see no need to further the deception. But good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-brits-canucks-oz-re-confusing-the-yanks-with-boxing-day/523332/25 "2010-01-05T06:40:53Z")
> [@Noel\_Prosequi](#): > > My theory is that, to Australians, over-excited Americans shilling products just sound like Vince peddling Sham-Wow, or US sports commentators getting wound up over something. Same old, same old. Over-excited Australians, however, sound like Steve Irwin, which kind of grates. It’s a bit counter-cultural for a local to get that worked up, and so sounds fake. That’s my theory too- but it sounds really bad when it’s obviously an Australian putting on an American accent. I mean, are they taking the piss? Trying to make a point? Aiming for the (almost non-existent) ex-pat American market? It’s baffling. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-brits-canucks-oz-re-confusing-the-yanks-with-boxing-day/523332/26 "2010-01-05T15:05:17Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > I’m surprised they don’t have Boxing Day in the US. We don’t have anything in the US. We get eight stinking holidays all year. We don’t need a name for December 26 because it’s just another boring work day. Unless it falls on a weekend, we’re expected to be back at work the morning after Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-brits-canucks-oz-re-confusing-the-yanks-with-boxing-day/523332/27 "2010-01-05T15:26:40Z")
As an American, I wish everyone in my family a happy Boxing Day every December 26th. And every year, I have to explain to them YET AGAIN what that is. Next year I’m going to start throwing boxes at them. ---
**Author:** ![trupa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@trupa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/trupa)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-brits-canucks-oz-re-confusing-the-yanks-with-boxing-day/523332/28 "2010-01-06T00:45:16Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Next year I’m going to start throwing boxes at them. Well that’s better than left hooks… ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-brits-canucks-oz-re-confusing-the-yanks-with-boxing-day/523332/29 "2010-01-06T01:02:06Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#): > > We don’t have anything in the US. We get eight stinking holidays all year. We don’t need a name for December 26 because it’s just another boring work day. Unless it falls on a weekend, we’re expected to be back at work the morning after Christmas. [Ebeneezer Scrooge voice]Be here that much earlier tomorrow!![/Scrooge] ---
**Author:** ![MJinks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@MJinks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MJinks)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-brits-canucks-oz-re-confusing-the-yanks-with-boxing-day/523332/30 "2010-01-06T01:14:37Z")
Boxing day is my mother’s day off. She slaves over an oven on christmas day cooking for 10 people, then she has to entertain until the grandparents leave at around 10pm. On boxing day she relaxes and we always have a large buffet for dinner which includes left over turkey, beef, all manner of cheeses, crackers, pork pie, etc. And it’s another day off work. Which is nice. I had a whole 4 days off this christmas! ---
**Author:** ![Zeke\_N.Destroi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/4af34b/32.png) [@Zeke\_N.Destroi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeke_N.Destroi)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-brits-canucks-oz-re-confusing-the-yanks-with-boxing-day/523332/31 "2010-01-06T01:35:33Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > What do they sound like in a Canadian accent? > > 😃 Normal 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-brits-canucks-oz-re-confusing-the-yanks-with-boxing-day/523332.md?page=1)