Boxing Day 1985, 1986 and onwards

Boxing Day Australia : December 26

The day after Christmas, December 26, is known in Australia as Boxing Day. It is a public holiday in every state and territory except South Australia, where the public holiday on December 26 is Proclamation Day.

When December 26 falls on a weekend, the states add a weekday: Boxing Day 2026 is a Saturday, so Monday 28 December 2026 is an additional public holiday. Boxing Day 2027 is a Sunday and Monday 27 December 2027 is already the additional day for Christmas, so Tuesday 28 December 2027 is the additional public holiday. In Tasmania the holiday moves instead: the weekend day itself is not a public holiday there (Monday 28 December 2026 and Tuesday 28 December 2027 are). In 2028 Boxing Day is a Tuesday.

The exact origin of Boxing Day is unclear. It is probably related to several European traditions. One is the feast day of Saint Stephen, dating back to the early Christian era when special metal boxes were installed outside churches to collect money in his name. Another tradition is even older and goes back to the Roman era when slave owners and their subordinates switched roles on Saturnalia. Part of this celebration might have included gift giving and other ways of showing appreciation to the lower classes for good service and loyalty in the past year. This is related to the European tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages, when gifts, money or food were given to the poor and needy on the day after Christmas. Nowadays in some countries boxes with special gifts, vouchers or gourmet food are still given around Christmas time by company owners to their employees as a way of saying thanks for their contribution to the company during the past year.

In Australia Boxing Day is one of the most important shopping days of the year: it is the start of the summer sales. For more information go to Boxing Day Sales in our Shopping Calendar.