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Boxing Day

Boxing Day is the day that follows Christmas. It is celebrated for some as a day of rest, after the busy Christmas season. For others, it is a day to go shopping while the stores offer great discounts on merchandise.

Upcoming Dates For Boxing Day

Boxing Day lands on December 26th, the day after Christmas. If Boxing Day lands on a weekend, the holiday is moved to the Monday that follows. Here are the upcoming dates for Boxing Day:

  • Tuesday, December 26, 2017
  • Wednesday, December 26, 2018
  • Thursday, December 26, 2019
  • Monday, December 28, 2020
  • Monday, December 27, 2021
  • Monday, December 26, 2022
  • Tuesday, December 26, 2023
  • Thursday, December 26, 2024
  • Friday, December 26, 2025

Where Is Boxing Day Considered a Holiday?

Boxing Day is a bank holiday everywhere in the United Kingdom. There are very few shops that bother to open on boxing day, while others will choose to have Boxing Day sales. Many stores will remain closed for the entire week that Christmas falls on, re-opening after New Years. It's common that families choose a vacation or a holiday during this time period. Therefore, traffic may be delayed and booking flights may be difficult. So plan your trip ahead of time to avoid unnecessary delays.

Festivities & Events During Boxing Day

Boxing Day is usually taken as a day to relax after the chaos of Christmas. There are some stores that open, starting their Boxing Day sales immediately. Others delay their sales and open later in the week, or not at all. Boxing Day has many important sporting events that take place. These include horse racing and football. It used to be traditional for fox hunting, but this has become outlawed and is no longer practiced. Families that are on vacation will likely enjoy each others' company, regardless of the events taking place. It's common to enjoy leftovers from the Christmas meal, while enjoying eggnog or hot chocolate. Some will attend church service on Boxing Day.

A Brief History About Boxing Day

Boxing Day was originally a day where the wealthy would share with the impoverished. This included food, cloth and other goods. Employers of the past would share food and old goods with their employees. Wealthy people would take to the street and offer goods to the lower class. Now, it is celebrated more commercially, by shopping and buying new goods.