Boxing Day |
|
|---|---|
| Observed by | Commonwealth countries |
| Type | International, Commonwealth countries |
| Date | The first weekday after Christmas Day |
| Related to | St Stephen's Day |
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a public holiday observed in many Commonwealth countries on the first day (other than Sunday) following Christmas Day.[1][2][3][4]
In common usage, when 26 December falls on a Sunday, this is now referred to as Boxing Day[5] despite Boxing Day officially occurring on the 27 December[6][7][8]. From 1954 to 1993 in the United Kingdom, when 26 December was a Sunday it was referred to as Christmas Sunday, and "Boxing Day" in popular usage referred to the 27th, but this practice had fallen out of use by the time of the next occurrence in 1999.
Boxing Day is often celebrated by giving gifts and donations to the poor and needy.
In some Commonwealth countries, fixed-date holidays falling on Saturday or Sunday are often observed on the next weekday, so if Boxing Day falls on a Saturday then Monday 28th December is a public holiday; in the UK and Australia this is accomplished by Royal Proclamation.
If Christmas Day falls on a Saturday itself then the Boxing Day holiday is automatically on the following Monday, and no Royal Proclamation is required. In such a circumstance,