Boxing Day in the English Premier League, which took place mostly on Sunday, is one of the UK's greatest annual sporting traditions.

Football is arguably the only major sport where players don't get any break during this festive period of the year, as league matches at Christmas and New Year's are normally scheduled.

On this busy day, 9 matches were scheduled to take place in the 19th round of the Premier League, but yesterday 3 matches were postponed due to the outbreak of the Corona epidemic.

The matches were filled with excitement and abundant goals, as leaders Manchester City won a landslide 6-3 victory at home to Leicester City, Arsenal also beat Norwich City 5-0, Tottenham beat Crystal Palace 3-0, and Southampton beat West Ham 3-2.

🙌 Keep the festivities going, Gunners!

🍿 Watch all of the best moments from today's game 👇

📺 Match highlights |

Norwich 0-5 Arsenal#NORARS pic.twitter.com/fNRvdCXbRx

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 26, 2021

The Spanish newspaper "MARCA" explained everything related to this day by answering some questions:

What time is Boxing Day?

It falls on December 26, which is the day after Christmas.

It is the UK's national bank holiday, and that holiday is moved to Monday and Tuesday if it falls on a Saturday or Sunday, respectively.

Why is it called "Boxing Day"?

The name comes from the tradition of wealthy families of boxes and presents to their servants on the day after Christmas Day, and then the servants give these boxes to their families as Christmas presents.

Although originally the day teachers give gifts to the poor, nowadays it has turned into a popular shopping day in the UK.

Exciting match that fulfilled all its promises 🙌💥

Watch the nine goals and highlights from the confrontation!

🎥

🔷 #city

- Manchester City (@Cityarabia) December 26, 2021

Why is Boxing Day celebrated with football in the UK?

In the past, British teams used to protest football matches on Christmas Day, but that custom changed again in the 1950s, when December 25 was considered a family day only.

Hence, the last football match on Christmas Day was in 1957, with the day subsequently established as an established tradition in the UK.

“Football was played on Christmas Day because it was a holiday, and there was a tradition of general working class events,” says Martin Jones, a professor of history. “It was also sometimes played on Box Day which means two games in two days.”

Fishermen and Firefighters' Day football match in Scarborough (Reuters)

Does the celebration stop at the Premier League only?

It does not stop with the Premier League, but football is associated with many people's celebrations of Boxing Day as well, including - but not limited to - the football match on Fishermen and Firefighters Day in Scarborough, Britain.

Believed to be the oldest surviving Scarborough Boxing Day custom since 1898 on South Bay Beach, the match is a fundraising vehicle for the Fishermen and Firefighters' Charity that provides aid to the elderly and infirm during the frigid winter months.

Fans watch the enthusiastic match on the Day of Fishermen and Firefighters (Reuters)