Boxing Day in Canada in 2024

Boxing Day in Canada in 2024
  How long until Boxing Day?
Boxing Day
  Dates of Boxing Day in Canada
2026 Dec 26
AlbertaSat, Dec 26Regional Holiday
AlbertaSat, Dec 26Regional Holiday
New BrunswickSat, Dec 26Regional Holiday
Newfoundland and LabradorSat, Dec 26Government Holiday
Nova ScotiaSat, Dec 26Regional Holiday
OntarioSat, Dec 26Regional Holiday
2025 Dec 26
AlbertaFri, Dec 26Regional Holiday
AlbertaFri, Dec 26Regional Holiday
New BrunswickFri, Dec 26Regional Holiday
Newfoundland and LabradorFri, Dec 26Government Holiday
Nova ScotiaFri, Dec 26Regional Holiday
OntarioFri, Dec 26Regional Holiday
2024 Dec 26
AlbertaThu, Dec 26Regional Holiday
AlbertaThu, Dec 26Regional Holiday
New BrunswickThu, Dec 26Regional Holiday
Newfoundland and LabradorThu, Dec 26Government Holiday
Nova ScotiaThu, Dec 26Regional Holiday
OntarioThu, Dec 26Regional Holiday
2023 Dec 26
AlbertaTue, Dec 26Regional Holiday
AlbertaTue, Dec 26Regional Holiday
New BrunswickTue, Dec 26Regional Holiday
Newfoundland and LabradorTue, Dec 26Government Holiday
Nova ScotiaTue, Dec 26Regional Holiday
OntarioTue, Dec 26Regional Holiday
2022 Dec 26
AlbertaMon, Dec 26Regional Holiday
Newfoundland and LabradorMon, Dec 26Government Holiday
NunavutMon, Dec 26Government Holiday
OntarioMon, Dec 26Regional Holiday
  Summary

The second day of Christmas is known as Boxing Day or St. Stephens Day. St Stephen was the first Christian martyr.

  Boxing Day in other countries
Boxing Day internationally
  Which regions observe Boxing Day in 2024?
National Holiday Regional Holiday Not a public holiday Govt Holiday
Related holidays

Boxing Day in Canada

Boxing Day in Canada is mostly a shopping holiday, but in some localities within the Great White North, retailers are closed to allow for a day of post-Christmas rest.

Boxing Day is largely a shopping holiday in Canada, similar to Black Friday in the United States. Most shops are open and experience their highest sales of the year on Boxing Day. As most people are off, it is popular to go to pubs to celebrate with friends on Boxing Day having celebrated Christmas with family.

NULL

When is Boxing Day?

This public holiday is celebrated on December 26th in several countries as part of the Christmas holidays.

Typically it will be moved and celebrated on the next working day if December 26th is a Saturday or Sunday.

Traditions of Boxing Day

It has been said that the name of Boxing Day comes from people getting rid of empty boxes from presents after Christmas day. While a beguiling notion, the tradition dates back to England in the middle ages, though the exact origin is debatable.

The name certainly has stronger ties to the Victorian era: it was first included in the Oxford English Dictionary in the 1830s and became a bank holiday in 1871.

One theory is that it comes from the fact that servants were given their presents in boxes on this day, the 26th being the first working day after Christmas day. This tradition of giving gifts for service extended beyond servants to tradesmen, such as milkmen, butchers, etc.

Samuel Pepys mentions the practice in a diary entry from December 19th 1663: "Thence by coach to my shoemaker’s and paid all there, and gave something to the boys’ box against Christmas."

Another popular theory is that it is named after the custom of priests opening alms boxes in churches after Christmas. These held money that had been donated to the poor and needy in the run-up to Christmas. Some churches still open these boxes on Boxing Day.

Boxing day is not a tradition in the United States, so that indicates that December 26th didn't become observed as such until the late 18th century, otherwise, it would have been imported to the Americas by settlers from England.

United Kingdom

Boxing Day has been a Bank Holiday in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland since 1871. Having this status during the height of the British Empire explains why this holiday is still celebrated in many Commonwealth countries.

Hunts were a Boxing Day tradition but the 2004 ban on foxhunting put an end to all that. However, many people still regularly turn out to support hunting. Certain modified forms of hunting foxes with hounds are still within the law and several Boxing Day meets take place every year.

Boxing Day is also a time when the British show their eccentricity by taking part in all kinds of silly activities. These include bizarre traditions such as swimming the icy cold English Channel, fun runs and charity events. 

St. Stephen's Day

In non-Commonwealth countries, the day is more commonly referred to as St Stephen's Day or the Feast of Stephen as mentioned in the carol 'Good King Wenceslas'.

Boxing Day has been a public holiday in Canada since 1871.


Translate this page