You would say "Joyeux Noël!" to wish someone "Merry Christmas" in French-speaking countries, such as France, Canada, and some African countries.
December 26 is not only a day for Santa Claus to catch his breath but a public holiday known as Boxing Day in the United Kingdom and other British Commonwealth countries such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand.
Brilliant Boxing Day dinners
- Gennaro's beautiful leftover bruschetta.
- Gooey baked Camembert.
- Easy salmon en croûte.
- Gluten-free curried veg pie.
- Cauliflower mac 'n' cheese.
- Mulled wine glazed ham.
- Winter pasta salad.
- Christmas ice cream sundae.
Boxing Day is observed only in is observed in the United Kingdom, Canada, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and some other Commonwealth nations. In America December 26 is known as the Day after Christmas Day, and is observed as a holiday in only a few states.
The year 2012 saw the biggest Black Friday to date in Canada, as Canadian retailers embraced it in an attempt to keep shoppers from travelling across the border. Before the advent of Black Friday in Canada, the most comparable holiday was Boxing Day in terms of retailer impact and consumerism.
Observed annually on December 26 in Canada, the U.K. and Commonwealth countries around the world, Boxing Day was traditionally the day employers would give their staff Christmas presents, called "boxes," to celebrate the season. In other countries, December 26 has taken on a different name.
Boxing Day, like the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, in the U.S. is THE big shopping day in Canada. Stores, malls and most retailers are open and generally continue until New Year's.
As a discount and deals site, Finder reports on both sales. On Black Friday (27th November) we see more sales that are "sitewide" or "storewide" for lower discounts around 10-30% off on average. However, on Boxing Day you can expect to see a number of more significant deals.
Federally regulated employees are entitled to nine paid holidays each year. (New Years, Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labour Day, Thanksgiving, Remembrance Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day).
It's always celebrated the day after Christmas Day in the UK, and has some interesting origins. There's lots of theories out there, but most historians agree that the origin of Boxing Day derives from the act of 'giving boxes' the day after Christmas.
Boxing Day is even a bank holiday in the UK, and has been since 1871. In other countries the day is still a holiday from work but it has a more religious significance – with Romania, Hungary, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Czech Republic and Scandinavia marking it as a second Christmas Day.
Generally speaking, the common
statutory holidays are New Year's Day, Good Friday (Easter),
Canada Day, Labour Day and Christmas Day.
Provincial and Stat Holidays in Canada.
| Holiday | Boxing Day |
|---|
| 2021 | Sun., December 26 |
|---|
| 2020 | Sat., December 26 |
|---|
| Day Observed | December 26 |
|---|
| Region Observed | ON |
|---|
Labour Day: Monday, September 6, 2021. Thanksgiving Day: Monday, October 11, 2021. Christmas Day: Saturday, December 25, 2021. Boxing Day: Sunday, December 26, 2021.
List of Canadian holidays in 2020
| Holiday | Date in 2020 | Observance |
|---|
| Canada Day | July 1, Wednesday | National |
| Civic Holiday | August 3, Monday | AB, BC, SK, ON, NB, NU |
| Labour Day | September 7, Monday | National |
| Thanksgiving | October 12, Monday | National except NB, NS, NL |
It is a provincial stat holiday in Ontario only - in other provinces and territories it's not a statutory holiday. It is, however, a stat holiday for federally regulated workers and banks across the country. Retail stores will open early on Boxing Day and you can expect large discounts and large crowds.
The employee is entitled to eight hours' pay of at least time and a half and two alternative paid holidays (one each for Christmas and Boxing Day).
In New Zealand there are two types of national public holidays: those that are "Mondayised" and those that are not. For example, if 1 January or 25 December is a Saturday or Sunday, then the following Monday is the statutory holiday for New Year's Day or Christmas Day.
Unfortunately, NSW state laws allow stores to open their doors on 26 December, which means that many workers are being robbed of the opportunity to spend Boxing Day with their family and friends. You have the right to refuse to work though. The legislation states that working on the day must be voluntary.
England and WalesThis is because the 26th is a Saturday, and when a bank holiday falls on a weekend, a 'substitute' weekday becomes the bank holiday. So, in 2020, the Boxing Day bank holiday will be moved from Saturday 26th December to Monday 28th December.
There is no replacement
holiday when Anzac
Day falls on a weekend. ² As Christmas
Day falls on a Saturday, an additional
public holiday is given on the following
Monday.
A listing of public holidays in Victoria for 2021.
| Holiday | 2021 |
|---|
| Christmas Day | Sat 25 Dec* Mon 27 Dec ² |
| Boxing Day | Sun 26 Dec Tue 28 Dec ³ |
A visitor from the Commonwealth Realms may be surprised to find that Boxing Day in the United States is not, as it is back home, an occasion to box up goods to donate to the unfortunate. Instead, December 26th is the day when Americans celebrate the box, mostly of the cardboard variety.
It celebrates the proclamation of South Australia as a British province by Captain John Hindmarsh when he arrived at Holdfast Bay on December 28th 1836.
Yes America, there isn't a Boxing Day…at least not in the United States. Boxing Day was originally the day that servants and the lower class would get a day off (since they usually worked on Christmas) and would receive gifts from the upper class in boxes.
Boxing Day is an official public holiday (or bank holiday) on Dec. 26 celebrated by the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries. This includes Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
Children in some European countries, such as Germany and Belgium, may open gifts on St Nicholas Day, December 6th. For most children in the United States of America, Australia and the United Kingdom, gifts are opened on Christmas Day. In other parts of the world, children may open gifts at the end of the Epiphany.
Quick Facts
| This year: | Sun, Dec 26, 2021 Public holiday onMon, Dec 27, 2021 |
|---|
| Next year: | Mon, Dec 26, 2022 |
| Last year: | Sat, Dec 26, 2020 |
| Type: | Public Holiday |
In both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, 26 December is a celebrated public holiday. In Northern Ireland, though, the date is known Boxing Day, while in those in Republic of Ireland refer to it as St Stephen's Day.
