How Many Days Until Boxing Day 2026?
Counting down to Boxing Day 2026 on Saturday, December 26, 2026, in your local timezone.
Boxing Day 2026 falls on Saturday, December 26, the day after Christmas. In the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and much of the Commonwealth it is a full public holiday in its own right, with its own traditions: leftovers, football, cricket, long walks and the biggest retail sales of the year.
The 2026 quirk: a Saturday Boxing Day
Because December 26, 2026 lands on a Saturday, most Commonwealth countries move the day off. In the UK, the substitute bank holiday is observed on Monday, December 28, which produces a rare four day super weekend: Christmas Day on Friday, Boxing Day on Saturday, and a compensating holiday on Monday. Australia and New Zealand handle it similarly state by state. If you are booking travel or planning store runs, the 28th is the day offices stay shut.
Where the name comes from
Nobody is completely certain, and the two leading explanations are both good stories. The first: churches opened their alms boxes, collected through Advent, and distributed the contents to the poor on December 26. The second: servants and tradespeople, who worked Christmas Day for wealthy households, were given the day after off along with a Christmas box of gifts, money and leftovers. Either way, the name has nothing to do with the sport or with throwing away gift boxes.
What happens on Boxing Day
- Sport: a full Premier League football program in England, the Boxing Day Test match in Melbourne, and the start of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.
- Sales: the Commonwealth’s answer to Black Friday; retailers open early and discounts run deep.
- The quiet version: turkey sandwiches, board games and a long walk. Arguably the correct version.
After Boxing Day
Boxing Day opens the strange, pleasant week between Christmas and New Year. From December 26 there are just 6 days to New Year 2027, and the season officially closes with Three Kings Day on January 6. The full week is mapped on our December holiday countdown hub.
Planning ahead? Browse every key Christmas date, use the Christmas planning guides, or watch the live Christmas countdown.