Box Day in Canada: Origin, Shopping Deals and Festivities

Boxing Day is a second holiday for many people. Celebrated after Christmas day, it allows people to meet their loved ones again. Thus, for some people, it represents a second Christmas. Generally, it is celebrated on December 26.

In Canada, this day is part of Christmas celebrations for most people. The day has become a chance to shop for people who love great sales. It is like a second Black Friday for them. Many shops offer gigantic sales on Boxing Day. People often exchange gifts and take advantage of great shopping deals. 

For people who love sports, their favorite pastime is watching ice hockey. Two major ice hockey games happen during this time. Along with this, Boxing Day in Canada is filled with many popular activities and old traditions.

1. Origin Stories of Boxing Day

The very strange name of the day after Christmas, Boxing Day, is not related to the sport of boxing in any way. “Boxing Day” is a term of British origin. However, the exact origin story of Boxing Day remains unknown to this day. But there are two main theories related to the roots of this holiday. 

Both of the theories point to British traditions of charity. People would often give charity to the poor on the day following Christmas.

1.1. First Theory

In the British Empire, hundreds of years ago, aristocrats and lords of the manor often distributed Christmas boxes to their employees, tradesmen, and household servants. The Christmas boxes contained leftover food from the Christmas feast, gifts, and money. 

The employees and servants were supposed to work on Christmas day. The Christmas boxes were a token acknowledging the good service provided by them throughout the year. The boxes served as a Christmas bonus. 

The employees and servants went home the next day after Christmas to visit and be with their families.

1.2. Second Theory

This theory is also a popular one. Since the Middle Ages, it has been a European tradition to give money and gifts to those in need or service positions. The name “Boxing Day” most probably relates to the boxes of alms kept in churches’ narthex. These alms boxes were placed during the Advent season. It was a way to collect donations and money from parishioners.

On December 26, after the collection was complete, clergy members would distribute it to poor people. The feast of St. Stephen also falls on December 26, known as St. Stephen’s Day. St. Stephen was the first Christian martyr and was popular for giving charity to the poor.

The practice of giving alms on December 26 is no longer prevalent. Nowadays, gifts and donations are given in the weeks before Christmas. But the name Boxing Day is still popular.

2. Is Boxing Day a Statutory Holiday in Canada? 

Boxing Day is celebrated in many Commonwealth nations, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. It is celebrated as a holiday in many parts of the world. 

In Canada, it is celebrated on December 26. It is a listed federal holiday according to the Canadian Labour Code. However, it is not observed in the same way in all provinces and territories. The non-uniformity is due to differing provincial laws or municipal by-laws.

For the province of Quebec, it is not an official holiday. In Alberta and British Columbia, it is also not a statutory holiday. However, employers in Alberta can give Boxing Day as an optional holiday from the list of nine statutory holidays. 

But in Saskatchewan, it is regarded as a holiday for the government and public service employees. In Nova Scotia, retail must not open. Therefore, some businesses don’t open on this day in Nova Scotia. 

Being a federal holiday, post offices are closed across the country on Boxing Day. Public transport either runs normally or provides no service or reduced service on this day. Be sure to check the local news before traveling. Since Boxing Day falls during the seasonal holiday period, schools are closed.

If Boxing Day falls on a weekend, workers are given a paid holiday either immediately before or after the general holiday. In general, many businesses and organizations remain closed, but stores are mostly open. However, if you are in Canada, it is always a good idea to check your province’s or area’s official holiday list to avoid any confusion.

3. Celebrating Box Day in Canada

Boxing Day celebrations and traditions are a bit different in Canada when compared to other countries. Going shopping for post-Christmas sales and watching ice hockey games are popular ways of spending the holiday.

Additionally, spending time with family and friends is also how Canadians enjoy this day. Some spend it resting and recovering from the overwhelm of Christmas celebrations. 

3.1. Boxing Day Sales

In Canada, including other Commonwealth countries, it is considered a shopping holiday. It is a popular sales day, similar to Black Friday. Almost all shops offer remarkable price reductions. Stores shower customers with massive discounts on their products. For merchants, it is the day of the year when they earn the most revenue.

In the spirit of Boxing Day sales, retail stores open very early in the morning. Shoppers alike form long lines outside the shops hours before they open. Door-crasher deals and loss leaders attract shoppers to the stores.

There are dramatic sales, particularly at megastores of consumer electronic retail. However, there are only a limited number of heavily discounted items. The deep discounts are only to draw people to stores. On the other hand, some people choose to stay home to avoid crowds and long lines.

The local media generally covers shopping-related news on December 26. They interview people and store owners before and after their purchase. The media channels show how early the stores opened and queues formed. 

To manage the huge crowd of people, retailers have developed different strategies. They often limit the number of people entering the store and fix the number of people in the store at a time. Special shopping tickets are given to people at the head of the queue. Retailers canvass shoppers standing in line, informing them about the fast-selling inventory and sold-out items. 

Boxing Day serves as an opportunity to buy your favorite product at the last minute. Purchasing a flat-screen TV, a hair styler, or other much-awaited home appliances. People also use it to buy gifts they never received or exchange unwanted gifts. They use this day to buy gifts for in-laws visiting after Christmas.

Although there are many good sales offers throughout the holiday season, Boxing Day offers are unmatched. Many retail businesses run sales for a week, leading up to Christmas Day or after Christmas up to New Year’s Eve. They call the sales week Boxing Week. It gives shopping enthusiasts a whole week to spend time doing what they love.

However, in Atlantic Canada and parts of Ontario, retailers are not allowed to open on Boxing Day. Additionally, in some areas, many stores don’t open on Boxing Day, and the sales start on December 27. These areas include Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, and Labrador.

3.2. Boxing Day Brunch

Brunch on the day after Christmas is a way to enjoy delicious dinner leftovers. It is popularly known as Boxing Day Brunch. It is a second chance to invite old friends, family members, and neighbors during the holiday season. Spend time with them while eating the leftover Christmas feast. 

Many people serve Yorkshire pudding to their guests as per old British traditions. Some turn the Christmas ham and turkey into delicious sandwiches. Serving the tasty sandwiches with red wine, beer, or ginger cocktails on the side.

3.3. Tradition of Mumming

Also known as Mummering, this old tradition has been observed since the 16th century. It is celebrated around the world. The tradition has strong roots in Canada, particularly in Newfoundland. Mumming is celebrated by performing the folk play, a small part of the Twelve Days of Christmas. 

People in Canada dress up in fun costumes and masks and prank their neighbors and friends. They also recite poems, walk in the Mummer parade, and perform plays and skits. This tradition adds festive cheers to the holidays. It creates an atmosphere of fun and mischief.   

3.4. Watching Sports 

Various sports events happen on Boxing Day all across the world. Watching sports on TV is a popular way to spend this day. In Canada, ice hockey is a favorite. Two significant hockey events happen during this time. 

The International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Hockey Championships begin on December 26 and run for 10 days, playing 31 games. The junior hockey championship includes 10 nations. The world’s best men’s hockey players under 20 play in this tournament. The Canadian team has a good playing record in this game.

The second event is the Spengler Cup Ice Hockey Tournament, played in Davos, Switzerland. It is broadcast live on major sports TV channels. The national men’s team of Canada has proved its potential in the past few years.

4. Boxing Day- A Favorite Canadian Holiday 

For people who have a day off work, Boxing Day is one of their favorite holidays. They can spend this day any way they please whether it is resting after Christmas, shopping for great deals, inviting loved ones over, or watching ice hockey on TV. 

Although the old tradition of giving Christmas boxes has faded in Canada, some people love gifting people who help them by providing their indispensable services. Canadians also love to go skating or curling on this day.

Additionally, after Christmas Day, they might video chat for long hours with faraway members of the family. Catching up with loved ones who could not come home for the holidays. For more insights into Canadian holidays and how they bring families together, don't miss our detailed guide on Celebrating Family Day in Canada: History, Traditions, and Activities.