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UF professor to expand proven disease-prediction dashboard to monitor Gulf threats

After deploying life-saving cholera-prediction systems in Africa and Asia, a University of Florida researcher is turning his attention to the pathogen-plagued waters off Florida’s Gulf Coast. In the fight to end cholera deaths by 2030 – a goal set by the World Health Organization – UF researcher and professor Antar Jutla, Ph.D., has deployed his Cholera Risk Dashboard in about 20 countries, most recently in Kenya. Using NASA and NOAA satellite images and artificial intelligence algorithms, the dashboard is an interactive web interface that pinpoints areas ripe for thriving cholera bacteria. It can predict cholera risk four weeks out, allowing early and proactive humanitarian efforts, medical preparation and health warnings. Cholera is a bacterial disease spread through contaminated food and water; it causes severe intestinal issues and can be fatal if untreated. The US Centers for Disease Control reports between 21,000 and 143,000 cholera deaths each year globally. Make no mistake, the Cholera Risk Dashboard saves lives, existing users contend. His team now wants to set up a similar pathogen-monitoring and disease-prediction system for pathogenic bacteria in the warm, pathogen-fertile waters of the Gulf of America. “Its timeliness, its predictiveness and its ease of access to the right data is a game changer in responding to outbreaks and preventing potentially catastrophic occurrences.” - Linet Kwamboka Nyang’au, a senior program manager for Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data Closer to home Jutla is seeking funding to develop a pathogen-prediction model to identify dangerous bacteria in the Gulf to warn people – particularly rescue workers – to use protective gear or avoid contaminated areas. He envisions post-hurricane systems for the Gulf that will help the U.S. Navy/Coast Guard and other rescue workers make informed health decisions before entering the water. And he wants UF to be at the forefront of this technology. “If we have enough resources, I think within a year we should have a prototype ready for the Gulf,” said Jutla, an associate professor with UF’s Engineering School Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment. “We want to build that expertise here at UF for the entire Gulf of America.” Jutla and his co-investigators have applied for a five-year, $4 million NOAA RESTORE grant to study pathogens known as vibrios off Florida’s West Coast and develop the Vibrio Warning System. These vibrios in the Gulf can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever and chills. One alarming example is Vibrio vulnificus, commonly known as flesh-eating bacteria, a bacterium that often leads to amputations or death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported increases in vibrio infections in the Gulf region, particularly from 2000 to 2018. The warm and ecologically sensitive Gulf waters provide a thriving habitat for harmful pathogens. “The grant builds directly on the success of our cholera-prediction system," Jutla noted. "By integrating AI technologies into public health decision-making, we would not only lead the nation but also become self-reliant in understanding the movement of environmentally sensitive pathogens, positioning ourselves as global leaders.” Learning from preparing early Jutla’s dashboards are critical tools for global health and humanitarian officials, said Linet Kwamboka Nyang’au, a senior program manager for Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data. “Its timeliness, its predictiveness and its ease of access to the right data is a game changer in responding to outbreaks and preventing potentially catastrophic occurrences,” Kwamboka Nyang’au said. Over the last few years, Jutla and several health/government leaders have been working to deploy the cholera-predictive dashboard. “Our partnership with UF, the government of Kenya and others on the cholera dashboard is a life-saving mission for high-risk, extremely vulnerable populations in Africa. By predicting potential cholera outbreaks and coordinating multi-stakeholder interventions, we are enabling swift action and empowering local governments and communities to prevent crises before they unfold,” said Davis Adieno, senior director of programs for the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data. The early warnings for waterborne pathogens also allows the United Nations time to issue early assistance to residents in the outbreak’s path, said Juan Chaves-Gonzalez, a program advisor with the United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. “There are several things we do with the money ahead of time. We provide hygiene kits. We repair and protect water sources. We start chlorination, we set up hand-washing stations, train and deploy rapid-response teams. At the community level, we try to inject funding to procure rapid-diagnostic tests,” he said. “We identify those very, very specific barriers and put money in organizations’ hands in advance to remove those barriers.” Eyes on the Gulf In the United States, hurricanes stir up vibrios in the Gulf, posing a high risk of infection for humans in the water. There has been a nearly 200% increase in these cases over the last 20 years in the U.S., according to the CDC. “After Hurricane Ian, we saw a very heavy presence of these vibrios in Sarasota Bay and the Charlotte Bay region. Not only that, but they were showing signs of antibiotic-resistance. Last year, we had one of the largest number of cases of vibriosis in the history of Florida,” Jutla said. Samples from 2024 hurricanes Helene and Milton are being analyzed with AI and complex bioinformatics algorithms. “If there is a risky operation by rescue personnel, not using personal protective equipment, then we would want them to know there is a significant concentration of these bacteria in the water,” Jutla said. “As an example, Navy divers operating in contaminated waters are at risk of infections from vibrios and other enteric pathogens, which can cause severe gastrointestinal and wound infections.” Safety and economics “Exposure to vibrios and other enteric pathogens,” Jutla added, “can disrupt economic activities, particularly in coastal regions that are dependent on tourism and fishing. And vibrios may be considered potential bioterrorism agents due to their ability to cause widespread illness and panic.” In developing the Vibrio Warning System, Jutla noted, he and his team want to significantly enhance public health safety and preparedness along the Gulf Coast. By leveraging advanced AI technologies, satellite datasets and predictive modeling, they plan to mitigate the risks posed by environmentally sensitive pathogenic bacteria, ensuring timely interventions and safeguarding human health and economic activities. “Hospital systems and healthcare providers in the Gulf region will have a tool for anticipatory decision making on where and when to anticipate illness from these environmentally sensitive vibrios, and issue a potential warning to the general public,” he said. “With the potential to become a leader in environmental pathogen prediction, UF stands at the forefront of this critical research, poised to make a lasting impact on local, regional, national and global health and safety.”

Why Your Digital Detox Resolution Fails by January 15

Every January, millions of people make the same promise: “This year I’m going to spend less time on my phone.” By mid-month, most are back to doomscrolling in bed, feeling like they’ve failed yet another resolution. According to Offline.now founder and author Eli Singer, that story is not about laziness, it’s about confidence. Offline.now’s proprietary research shows 8 in 10 people want to change their relationship with technology, but more than half feel so overwhelmed by their habits they don’t know where to start. “If you don’t learn how to manage the screens in your life, they will manage you,” says Singer. “When people tell us they feel overwhelmed, it’s not laziness. It’s a crisis of confidence. And confidence is something that can be built.” At the heart of the platform is the Offline.now Matrix, a behavioral framework that maps people into four quadrants: Overwhelmed, Ready, Stuck, or Unconcerned - based on their motivation and confidence levels. Someone who is “Overwhelmed” needs reassurance and tiny first steps; someone who is “Ready” can handle bigger commitments. Treating everyone as if they’re in the same place (“just delete Instagram”) virtually guarantees most resolutions will collapse. Psychotherapist Harshi Sritharan, MSW, RSW, who specializes in ADHD and modern anxiety, sees how this plays out in the brain. For many of her clients, especially those with ADHD, digital devices provide a fast dopamine hit that everyday life simply can’t match. “With ADHD, you’re working with a dopamine deficiency,” she explains. “Phones and apps are designed to give you highly stimulating, personalized content. You get this huge dopamine surge, and when you put the device down, everything else feels flat, boring and harder to start.” She notes that common habits like checking your phone the second you wake up, quietly undermine even the best January intentions: “If you’re on your phone first thing in the morning, you hijack your attention and dopamine for the rest of the day. Your brain has already tasted the highest stimulation it’s going to get, and it will keep seeking that level. That’s not a willpower issue, it’s neuroscience.” The good news: the science suggests you don’t need a perfect detox to see benefits. A JAMA Network Open study on young adults found that reducing social media use for just one week - without going completely offline; led to about a 24.8% drop in depression, a 16.1% drop in anxiety, and a 14.5% drop in insomnia symptoms. “Lasting change doesn’t require deleting Instagram or TikTok tomorrow,” says Singer. “You need to win one personal victory today, and then another tomorrow. That’s how confidence rebuilds.” Featured Experts Eli Singer – Founder of Offline.now and author of Offline.now: A Practical Guide to Healthy Digital Balance. Speaks to the behavioral data behind failed resolutions, the confidence gap, and the Offline.now Matrix framework. Harshi Sritharan, MSW, RSW – Psychotherapist specializing in ADHD, anxiety and digital dependency. Explains the dopamine science behind compulsive scrolling and offers brain-friendly strategies that work better than “willpower.” Expert interviews can be arranged through the Offline.now media team.

Chasing followers makes crypto traders perform worse on social investment sites

Whether excited about gaining new followers or desperate to win back lost subscribers, investors who saw changes to their subscriber count performed worse than before their subscribers changed, according to a new study. The research tracked performance on social investment sites, where individuals can trade assets like cryptocurrency while attracting audiences based on their performance — like YouTube, but for investments. Both gaining and losing followers led investors to make more frequent, riskier trades. The upshot is that traders performed about 10% worse in the weeks after their subscriber counts changed. “If the number of followers increases a lot, it creates an overconfidence effect. You are more aggressive in trading, and your future trading performance will be worse,” said Liangfei Qiu, Ph.D., a professor in the University of Florida’s Warrington College of Business and co-author of the new study. “So logically we thought that if more followers leads to worse performance, then if we reduce the number of followers, it will reverse the effect, reduce overconfidence and lead to higher trading performance,” Qiu said. “But that’s not what we found. If we reduce the number of followers, they trade even more aggressively and their trading performance becomes even worse.” Qiu and his collaborators at the University of Maryland and University of Washington worked directly with an anonymous social trading platform to examine the impact of gaining or losing followers on traders’ cryptocurrency trading behavior and performance. The research revealed the power of social pressure. This study was focused on cryptocurrency, which is highly volatile and may exacerbate the risk of social trading. But social trading also exists for traditional investments like stocks and bonds, and chasing followers could hurt these types of investments, too. The researchers say that both platforms and investors should guard against the downsides. “If platforms emphasize the social functions too much, it might backfire. Eventually it will hurt the long run performance of the platform,” he said. “The investors should realize their inherent bias and make sure their trading strategies are not too affected by social attention.”

Holiday Phones, Real Kids: “Don’t Give a 10-Year-Old a 24/7 Device Without a Plan”

Smartphones and tablets are among the hottest holiday gifts for tweens and teens. They’re also one of the biggest sources of parental anxiety. “We’re giving 9, 10, 11-year-olds a pocket device with the power to nuke their sleep, social life and self-esteem — and we’re doing it with almost no training,” says Eli Singer, founder and CEO of Offline.now. “The question isn’t ‘Should kids have phones?’ It’s ‘What’s the plan for this incredibly powerful tool?’” Singer, a coach and parent who lives with ADHD himself, takes a non-judgmental, shame-free approach with families. He’s blunt about the risks — social comparison, late-night scrolling, drama at school that now comes home in their pocket — but equally blunt that guilt doesn’t help. “Parents are overwhelmed and scared. They’ve seen the headlines linking social media to anxiety and depression, and they feel like they’re already behind,” he says. “My job isn’t to scare them; it’s to help them write the first draft of a family agreement they can actually live with.” Singer recommends three simple starting points over the holidays: Bedrooms are sacred. Phones charge overnight outside kids’ rooms and ideally outside parents’ rooms, too. Meals are for humans, not phones. A bowl or basket at the table becomes the visual reminder: we’re here together. Model what you ask. If parents scroll through dinner or answer work emails at fireworks, kids get the message long before any rule is written. Offline.now’s Digital Wellness Directory includes professionals who specialize in families, ADHD, and youth mental health; Singer positions Offline.now as the bridge between overwhelmed parents and the right expert help. Why now Late December is “first phone” season. January brings the real-world consequences: blown bedtimes, drama in group chats, school exhaustion. Singer can give reporters a nuanced, practical angle on holiday devices — beyond “phones are bad” vs. “phones are fine” — and concrete questions families can ask before they unwrap the box. Available for interviews Eli Singer - CEO of Offline.now; author of Offline.now: A Practical Guide to Healthy Digital Balance. I speak about practical behavior change, non-judgmental family agreements, and confidence-based starting points - and I can direct people to licensed professionals via the Offline.now Directory when needs go beyond coaching.

AI as IP™: A Framework for Boards, Executives, and Investors

Under current corporate accounting practices, artificial intelligence (AI) companies’ most valuable resources – large language models, training datasets, and algorithms – remain “off the books” or uncapitalized. As the importance of AI continues to grow in the global knowledge-based economy, financial statements are becoming less representative of a company’s true worth, creating a recognition gap. In this article, James E. Malackowski, Eric Carnick, and David Ngo present several conceptual frameworks to bridge this gap. They explain how the triangulation of three valuation approaches can reveal both the tangible investment base and the intangible, strategic upside of AI assets. In turn, these approaches provide board-level visibility into where AI capital resides and how it contributes to enterprise value. James E. Malackowski is the Chief Intellectual Property Officer (CIPO) of J.S. Held and Co-founder of Ocean Tomo, a part of J.S. Held. Mr. Malackowski has served as an expert on over one hundred occasions on intellectual property economics, including valuation, royalty, lost profits, price erosion, licensing terms, venture financing, copyright fair use, and injunction equities. He has substantial experience as a Board Director for leading technology corporations, research organizations, and companies with critical brand management issues.  This article is the second installment in our three-part series, Artificial Intelligence as Intellectual Property or “AI as IP™”, which explores how artificial intelligence assets should be treated as a form of intellectual property and enterprise capital. The first article, “A Strategic Framework for the Legal Profession”, explored the legal foundations for recognizing and protecting AI assets. The upcoming third article, “Guide for SMEs to Classify, Protect, and Monetize AI Assets”, will provide practical steps for small and mid-sized enterprises to turn AI into measurable economic value. To explore the topic further, simply connect with James through his icon below.

Kwanzaa Explained: A Modern Celebration Rooted in Culture, Community, and Purpose

Observed from December 26 to January 1, Kwanzaa is a cultural celebration that centres on African heritage, shared values, and community renewal. While often grouped with year-end holidays, Kwanzaa is distinct in both origin and intent — designed not as a religious observance, but as a time for reflection, education, and collective responsibility. At its core, Kwanzaa asks a simple but powerful question: How do communities honour their past while shaping a stronger future? The Origins of Kwanzaa Kwanzaa was established in 1966 by scholar and activist Maulana Karenga during a period of social change in the United States. It was created to provide African Americans with a way to reconnect with African cultural traditions while reinforcing shared values that support family, community, and social progress. The name “Kwanzaa” is derived from a Swahili phrase meaning “first fruits”, reflecting harvest celebrations common across many African cultures. The Seven Principles: Nguzo Saba Each day of Kwanzaa focuses on one of the Seven Principles, known collectively as the Nguzo Saba. These principles guide the celebration and serve as a framework for reflection and action: Umoja (Unity) – Strengthening family and community bonds Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) – Defining and speaking for oneself Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility) – Building together and solving problems collectively Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) – Supporting and sustaining community businesses Nia (Purpose) – Contributing to the restoration and development of community Kuumba (Creativity) – Leaving communities more beautiful and beneficial than before Imani (Faith) – Belief in people, parents, teachers, leaders, and collective struggle Each evening, families light a candle on the kinara, symbolizing progress through these values. Symbols and Traditions Kwanzaa celebrations include meaningful symbols that reinforce its themes: Kinara – The candle holder representing roots and foundation Mishumaa Saba – Seven candles representing the Nguzo Saba Mkeka – A woven mat symbolizing tradition and history Mazao – Crops representing collective labour and productivity Kikombe cha Umoja – The unity cup used for communal reflection Zawadi – Gifts that emphasize creativity, learning, and cultural meaning Celebrations often include storytelling, music, poetry, shared meals, and discussions about cultural identity and social responsibility. Kwanzaa in Practice Today Kwanzaa is observed in the United States and internationally by people of African descent and others interested in African culture and values. It may be celebrated alongside religious holidays such as Christmas or Hanukkah, or on its own. Over time, Kwanzaa has become a platform for conversations about: Cultural identity Community empowerment Education and youth development Economic equity Social responsibility Story Angles for Journalists Why Kwanzaa was created — and why it still resonates today The role of culture in community resilience How Kwanzaa is celebrated across generations Education, identity, and the Nguzo Saba Kwanzaa’s place in modern multicultural societies How families blend Kwanzaa with other year-end traditions Why Kwanzaa Matters Kwanzaa offers a framework for reflection that extends beyond a single week. Its principles emphasize unity, purpose, and shared responsibility — themes that remain relevant in discussions about culture, equity, and community building. In a season often dominated by consumption and spectacle, Kwanzaa provides a values-driven pause — one rooted in heritage, intention, and collective progress. Let's get you connected to an expert! Find more experts here: www.expertfile.com

With the MOMitor™ app, Florida mothers have better maternal care right at their fingertips

A program spearheaded by University of Florida physicians recently expanded to improve care for new mothers throughout the state, using tools they have right at home. Five years ago, a team of obstetricians and researchers at the UF College of Medicine launched MOMitor™, a smartphone app that allows new mothers to answer health screening questions and check vitals like blood pressure in the comfort of their own homes, using tools given to them by their health care providers. Depending on the data, the clinical team can then follow up with patients as needed for further medical intervention. Now, the app is expanding beyond North Central Florida — where nearly 4,400 mothers have participated in the program — to other areas in the state. Clinicians are also teaming up with data scientists at the College of Medicine who are using artificial intelligence to study data and identify trends that can lead to more personalized care. Program expansion Thanks to funding from the Florida Department of Health to support the state’s Telehealth Maternity Care Program, MOMitor™ has recently expanded for use in Citrus, Hernando, Sumter, Flagler, Volusia, Martin, St. Lucie and Okeechobee counties, said Kay Roussos-Ross, M.D. ’02, MPAS ’98, a UF professor of obstetrics/gynecology and psychiatry who is leading the program. “The Florida Legislature was really motivated and interested in improving maternal morbidity and mortality, and through this program we’re touching additional parts of the state and helping patients beyond North Central Florida,” she said. Maternal mortality is a serious concern in the United States, with more than 18 deaths recorded per 100,000 births in 2023, according to the latest data available from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is a much higher rate than most other developed countries, Roussos-Ross said. Common factors that may lead to maternal mortality, which is measured from pregnancy through the first year after giving birth, include infection, mental health conditions, cardiovascular conditions and endocrine disorders. Many of these complications can go unnoticed or unmonitored, particularly if at-risk mothers are not reporting complications to clinicians. A 2025 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that up to 40% of women do not attend postpartum visits. “By leveraging AI, we have the opportunity to target moms and moms-to-be who might be at greater risk of complications ... and encourage them to participate in the program to mitigate these.” — Tanja Magoc, Ph.D. “Whereas we’re used to seeing patients pretty routinely during pregnancy, after delivery visits quickly drop off and some women don’t make it back for postpartum care, so we may not have an opportunity to continue supporting them,” Roussos-Ross said. “This can often be because of barriers such as housing, transportation or food insecurity. We offer referrals to help with some of these services.” With MOMitor™, patients can let their clinician know how they are recovering without visiting the clinic, improving access to care in situations where that is not always an easy option for new mothers. “It’s a way to be proactive,” Roussos-Ross said. “Instead of waiting for a patient to come to us when they haven’t been doing well for a while, we connect with them through the app and follow up when they initially begin not doing well, so we can address concerns more quickly.” Studying data to personalize care Roussos-Ross’ team is collaborating with data scientists from the College of Medicine’s Quality and Patient Safety initiative, or QPSi, to determine how AI can assist in finding ways to further improve processes. “By leveraging AI, we have the opportunity to target moms and moms-to-be who might be at greater risk of complications, such as developing postpartum depression or hypertension, and encourage them to participate in the program to mitigate these complications,” said Tanja Magoc, Ph.D., the associate director of QPSi’s Artificial Intelligence/Quality Improvement Program. David Hall, Ph.D., a QPSi data scientist, said his team is working alongside the clinical team to analyze data that can be used to create recommendations for patients. “Everything we do comes from information supported in the patients’ charts,” Hall said. “We also make sure the data upholds compliance standards and protects patients’ privacy.” “We’re interested in finding out what areas might be hot spots and determining what makes them this way, so we can ... better identify areas where there may be high-risk patients and provide interventions to those who need it most.” — David Hall, Ph.D. The teams aim to intervene before patients encounter postpartum complications, addressing potential issues before they become significant problems. After taking into account a patient’s personal and family medical history, the team looks at information such as geolocation, drilling down to areas much smaller than the ZIP code level in order to find points of potential concern. “We’re interested in finding out what areas might be hot spots and determining what makes them this way, so we can study these patterns throughout the state and better identify areas where there may be high-risk patients and provide interventions to those who need it most,” Hall said. Roussos-Ross said she is proud of the work her team has done to improve patient outcomes through the program so far and is excited to empower more patients. “Every year, the participants give us recommendations on how to improve the app, which we love. But they also say, ‘This is so great. It helped me think about myself and not just my baby. It helped me learn about taking care of my own health. It made me remember I’m important too, and it’s not just about the baby,’” Roussos-Ross said. “And that is so gratifying, because women are willing to do anything to ensure the health of their baby, sometimes at the expense of their own care. This is a way for us to let them know they are still important, and we care about their health as well.”

New AI-powered tool helps students find creative solutions to complex math proofs

Math students may not blink at calculating probabilities, measuring the area beneath curves or evaluating matrices, yet they often find themselves at sea when first confronted with writing proofs. But a new AI-powered tool called HaLLMos — developed by a team led by Professor Vincent Vatter, Ph.D., in the University of Florida Department of Mathematics — now offers a lifeline. “Some students love proofs, but almost everyone struggles with them. The ones who love them just put in more work,” Vatter said. “It just kind of blows their minds that there’s no single correct answer — that there are many different ways to do this. It’s very different than just doing computational work.” Building the tool HaLLMos was developed by Vatter, as principal investigator, along with Sarah Sword, a mathematics education expert at the Education Development Center; Jay Pantone, an associate professor of mathematical and statistical sciences at Marquette University; and Ryota Matsuura, a professor of mathematics, statistics and computer science at St. Olaf College; with grant support from the National Science Foundation. The tool is freely available at hallmos.com. The team’s goal was to develop an AI tool powered by a large language model that would support student learning rather than short-circuiting it. HaLLMos provides immediate personalized feedback that guides students through the creative struggle that writing proofs requires, without solving the proofs for them. The tool’s name honors the late Paul Halmos, a renowned mathematician who argued that the mathematics field is a creative art, akin to how painters work. Students using HaLLMos can select from classic exercises — such as proving that, for all integers, if the square of the integer is even, the integer is even — or use “sandbox mode” to enter exercises from any course. Faculty can create exercises and share them with students. Vatter introduced HaLLMos to his students last spring in his “Reasoning and Proof in Mathematics” class, a core requirement for math majors that is often the first time students encounter proofs. “They could use this tool to try out their proofs before they brought them to me. We try to identify the error in a student’s proof and let them go fix it,” Vatter said. “It is difficult for faculty to devote enough time to working individually with students. Our goal is that this tool will provide the feedback in real time to students in the way we would do it if we were there with them as they construct a proof.” Helping professors and students excel “I think every math professor would love to give more feedback to students than we are able to,” Vatter said. “That’s one of the things that inspired this.” The next steps for Vatter and his colleagues include getting more pilot sites to use the tool and continuing to improve its responses. “We’d like it to be good at any kind of undergraduate mathematics proofs,” he said. Vatter also intends to explore moving HaLLMos to UF’s HiPerGator, the country's fastest university-owned supercomputer. “It’s our goal to have it remain publicly accessible,” Vatter said. This research was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education.

WSJ Quotes Sample on Presidential Term Limits

Hofstra Law Professor James Sample was quoted in the Wall Street Journal article “Trump Told by Alan Dershowitz Constitutionality of Third Term Is Unclear.” In the piece, Prof. Sample, a constitutional law scholar, discussed one scenario raised by former President Donald Trump’s allies involving the presidential line of succession and whether it could be used to test the limits of the 22nd Amendment.

Boxing Day Explained: From Acts of Charity to a Global Cultural Tradition

Boxing Day may be best known today for shopping deals, leftover turkey sandwiches, and the collective decision to stay in pyjamas as long as possible. But its origins are far richer — rooted in charity, social responsibility, and long-standing cultural tradition. Observed on December 26, Boxing Day has evolved over centuries from a day of giving into a uniquely modern mix of generosity, sport, family, and commerce. Where Boxing Day Began The origins of Boxing Day trace back to medieval Britain. Traditionally, it was the day when: Churches opened alms boxes to distribute donations to the poor Employers gave servants and tradespeople “Christmas boxes” containing money, food, or gifts Workers who served households on Christmas Day were finally given time off to celebrate with their own families At its core, Boxing Day recognized service, labour, and the idea that generosity should extend beyond Christmas Day itself. A Day for Workers, Not Just Celebrations Historically, Boxing Day acknowledged the contributions of workers — from domestic staff to tradespeople — reinforcing values of gratitude, fairness, and shared prosperity. Long before modern labour standards, it created a structured moment for appreciation and rest. How Boxing Day Is Celebrated Around the World Today While its charitable roots remain, Boxing Day traditions vary by region: United Kingdom A public holiday Known for major football matches, horse racing, and community events A blend of tradition, sport, and post-Christmas relaxation Canada A statutory holiday in several provinces Widely associated with retail sales, winter recreation, and family gatherings Increasingly viewed as a day to unwind, travel, or spend time outdoors Australia & New Zealand Celebrated during summer Defined by outdoor events, including cricket and sailing A festive, recreational extension of Christmas rather than a recovery day United States Not an official holiday, but culturally familiar December 26 is widely marked by after-Christmas sales, professional sports viewing, and end-of-year charitable giving Many American traditions - holiday bonuses, tipping service workers, and year-end donations - closely mirror Boxing Day’s original emphasis on gratitude and generosity Beyond the Commonwealth In several European countries, December 26 is observed as St. Stephen’s Day, carrying its own religious and cultural significance From Charity to Commerce: A Modern Shift Over time, Boxing Day became synonymous with retail — driven by post-holiday inventory cycles and consumer demand. While some argue this shift has overshadowed its charitable origins, others see it as an evolution rather than a replacement. Notably, many volunteer initiatives and charitable campaigns continue to peak on or around December 26, reconnecting the day with its philanthropic foundation. Story Angles for Journalists How Boxing Day evolved differently across cultures Why Boxing Day is a holiday in some countries but not others The economic impact of December 26 retail activity Boxing Day and labour history How sport became a defining Boxing Day tradition Why generosity peaks at year’s end Why Boxing Day Still Matters Boxing Day sits between celebration and renewal — a moment to acknowledge service, extend generosity, and reset before the new year. Its global staying power lies in its adaptability, reflecting the values and rhythms of the societies that observe it Find your expert here: www.expertfile.com