| Where: | Countrywide |
| When: | 26th December |
| Time: | All day |
Boxing Day is the 26th December, the day after Christmas Day, and is also the feast day of St Stephen (hence the line in Good King Wenceslas “…on the feast of Stephen”). The name comes from the practice of giving presents (Christmas Boxes) on this day, a custom which has moved to Christmas Day itself. It was a traditional day for hunting, and many foxhunting meets still take place – our local hunt the Tynedale still meets in Corbridge Market Place every year at 11. There are too many meets all over the UK to list them individually so check links below and local press to find one near you; it’s usual for the meets to move to Monday 27th if 26th falls on a Sunday. It is also a day upon which many mumming groups and morris dancers perform throughout the country – again follow links to find a side near you – there will be one! A few notable events are listed separately in the calendar but there are many more. In the north of England, rapper sword dancing is widespread- but if you’re further south you can find Headington Quarry Morris performing sword dances on the day. For many other folks it’s a chance to recover from the excesses of the previous day….or go for a swim (see Boxing Day Dip article). Boxing Day is a public holiday in England and Wales.
To find your local mummers click here : http://www.mastermummers.org/
Click here to find your local morris side : http://www.themorrisring.org/
and http://www.morrisfed.org.uk/
Click here to find your local hunt : http://www.horse-directory.co.uk/huntlinks.htm
Photo by Robert Nunn.
When I was young it was the rule that Boxing Day never fell on a Sunday, but would be on Monday the 27th instead. For example the Radio Times Christmas Special would list the 27th as Boxing Day.
I had a look on the internet a while ago and this seems to have been the case in Britain (and Canada) up to the early 1990s, after which both countries started observing Boxing Day as always being the 26th. I don’t know why or who changed this.
I think the naming of the Bank Holiday after Boxing Day may have led to some confusion as to whether it’s the day immediately following Christmas Day or the public day off, which would never be a Sunday? Who knows? It’s a bit of a mystery!