Public holidays · 2026
Boxing Day falls on Saturday, December 26, 2026 in Canada in 2026.
A public holiday in some regions of Canada only: Ontario.
In 2026 it falls on a Saturday, a weekend day; check whether a substitute day is given.
Fixed date: it is on the same day of the year every year (Dec 26).
Saturday and Sunday · A public holiday does not always close every business. Essential services, shops and some industries keep working, and pay rules differ by country and contract.
Boxing Day is the day after Christmas in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, Gibraltar, the Isle of Man and other countries with historic ties to Britain, including Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It is a bank or public holiday, and in practice it is a day of relaxation after Christmas, with family visits, walks, sport and shopping sales. The date coincides with the Second Day of Christmas and Saint Stephen's Day used elsewhere in Europe, but the British tradition has its own distinct identity, tied to leisure, sport and shopping rather than to church services.
Football on Boxing Day is a long-standing British tradition, and horse racing is another, including the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park. In Ireland and in much of continental Europe the same date is celebrated as Saint Stephen's Day or the Second Day of Christmas, so the holiday is shared but the name and the customs differ from place to place. Some people also use the day for charity events, including fun runs and swimming events held in cold water. Visitors often find that the day feels very different from a normal public holiday.
Ontario
Also known as: Boxing Day (observed)
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Questions
A public holiday in some regions of Canada only: Ontario.
Saturday, December 26, 2026.