Things to do on Boxing Day: food, activities & more

08/12/20232 min read

Looking for things to do on Boxing Day? From whipping up a tasty Boxing Day lunch or going for a winter walk to a self-care pamper session, we've got you covered.

Christmas Day has come and gone, and now you have a fridge full of leftover food, a recycling bin full of wrapping paper and presents sprinkled around your home. After all the anticipation for the big day, many of us often have no idea what to do with ourselves on Boxing Day!

Whilst it might be tempting, but also totally okay, to spend Boxing Day on the sofa in your pyjamas, the Christmas spirit doesn’t need to end with Christmas Day. There are plenty of festive frolics to be had, even from the comfort of your own home.

Whether you want to go into full hibernation mode, whip up a delicious Boxing Day brunch or get out and about, here are 10 easy things to do on Boxing Day.

10 things to do on Boxing Day

Go for a walk

Blow away the cobwebs and get your legs moving by going on a winter walk this Boxing Day. Whether you head for a stroll through the park, a quick walk around the block or tackle a big hike, getting out and about in the fresh air on Boxing Day is a great way to stop you from feeling sluggish after Christmas Day. Even better, why not head to a Christmas lights trail? With so many attractions nationwide, that often run all the way up to New Year, there’s certain to be a festive lights trail near you.

Watch your favourite films

Feeling pretty exhausted after Christmas Day? If it feels as though your energy has been zapped, then why not take the day to cosy up on the sofa (or in bed!) and watch your favourite films? Whether it's your most-watched rom-com or beloved film series, get curled up and polish off that mulled wine. It’s also not too late to sneak in another watch of your favourite Christmas classic!

Shop the sales

If you’re feeling brave, shopping the Boxing Day sales is a great way to grab a good bargain. With most shops open Boxing Day, heading to your local shopping centre means you can make the most of those Boxing Day deals. Some people really love the hustle and bustle of a Boxing Day sale, but if that’s not your thing, why not support your local, independent businesses instead? Even better, most Boxing Day sales are online as well as in-store, so you can shop for good deals from the comfort of your own home too – much less hectic!

Play board games or do puzzles

Fun for all the family, games are an easy way to keep everyone entertained. Whether it’s a classic board game like Monopoly or Cluedo, or even a Mario Kart tournament, you’ll create plenty of memories, have a good laugh and maybe get a little bit too competitive! Settling down to do a good puzzle is a great way to keep yourself occupied, and your brain active on Boxing Day too. Why not choose a Christmas-themed puzzle to continue the festivities?

Go ice skating

If you fancy getting out of the house and doing a festive activity, try ice skating! Indoor skating rinks are really popular all year round, but lots of festive outdoor ice-skating rinks pop up throughout the winter at Christmas markets, in parks and at popular attractions. All it’ll take is a quick Google to see what your area has to offer!

See a show or pantomime

There are so many great theatre productions all year round, but Christmas means it’s time for the panto! From Cinderella to Sleeping Beauty and more family favourites, going to a pantomime is a fun and exciting way for the whole family to spend Boxing Day. If pantomimes aren’t your thing, many theatres have other festive productions, like stunning ballet or even opera!

Visit your family

Trying to see all your family on Christmas Day can be tough, or perhaps you couldn’t spend the big day with your family - maybe you spent it with your in-laws instead. That makes Boxing Day a great time to catch up with your loved ones! Besides, seeing them on Boxing Day means there’s less stress about who will cook dinner, as everyone can just have leftovers.

Have a self-care day

Everyone loves a good pamper, and if you’re feeling a little out-of-sorts after Christmas Day, a pampering self-care day might be just what you need. After all the festive fun, and maybe one too many drinks, your skin can feel a bit lifeless and dull, so draw a bath, pop a face mask on, light a candle and start relaxing.

Give your skin the attention it deserves with a hydrating, refreshing face mask, or an exfoliating face scrub. Even better, why not make your own? Check out our guides on making your own festive face masks and body scrubs.

Spend time with friends

Maybe you’ve spent your Christmas surrounded by your family and fancy escaping for a day, so why not gather your friends together on Boxing Day? Whether you head down to the pub or have a ‘friendsmas’, catching up with close friends is always good fun. If you’ve got no idea how you’re going to eat up all the leftovers in your fridge, having friends round means they can help you polish it off. Or, if you fancy getting out of the house, you could head out to the pub or a local restaurant.

Watch the football

Kicking back and watching an afternoon of (hopefully) exciting, action-packed football is a popular tradition for many people. Whether it’s supporting your favourite team or just enjoying the sport, there are loads of different games you can tune into – pretty much every team will play! If watching football isn’t your thing, why not try to occupy yourself with one of the other things on this list?

Boxing Day menu ideas

We know what it's like to have a fridge full of Christmas leftovers but no idea what to do with it all! If you’re looking for some inspiration on how to use up that Christmas turkey or what to do with those leftover sprouts, we have you covered.

Here are our 8 top tips on creating a delicious Boxing Day menu using some of those leftovers:

Make the perfect turkey sandwich: pile your sandwich high with your favourite leftovers, think turkey, cranberry sauce, and stuffing – delicious! •
Whip up a turkey curry: if you want to add some spice to your Boxing Day, add some leftover turkey to a tasty curry!
Make sprouts fun: got leftover Brussel sprouts that need eating? Make them into a salad or a slaw or add them to your mid-week recipes for added fibre boost.
Cook up a Boxing Day brunch: throw your leftover ingredients into an omelette, or even make an indulgent toasted breakfast sandwich.
Plate up a cheeseboard: add your leftover cheese to make a Christmas cheeseboard – check out our vegan cheeseboard guide too!
Re-fry your roasties: chuck your leftover roasties back in a pan with seasoning to give them an extra crunch fit for a Boxing Day buffet.
Make a vegetable casserole: add your leftover carrots, sprouts and more to make a tasty vegetable casserole.
Get creative with your Christmas pudding: turn your Christmas pudding into a delicious dessert like our lovely leftover Christmas pudding recipe.

FAQs

Why is it called Boxing Day?

It’s an unusual name, so it’s no wonder people often think “why is it called Boxing Day?”.

Boxing Day actually doesn’t have anything to do with the sport with which it shares its name. Instead, the name comes from when the rich used to box up gifts for the poor during the Victorian era.¹

Traditionally, the day after Christmas was a day off for workers who would receive a Christmas box from their employers. The workers would then head home on Boxing Day to give the box to their family.¹

When was Boxing Day invented?

Boxing Day became a common term when Queen Victoria sat on the throne in the 1800s. However, the earliest use of the term Boxing Day was actually in 1743 when it was defined as the ‘day after Christmas Day’.²

Do all countries celebrate Boxing Day?

Not all countries celebrate Boxing Day, but for some Boxing Day is a religious day. Countries like Ireland, parts of Spain, Hungary, Germany, the Netherlands, and Poland, celebrate Boxing Day as a second Christmas Day, known as St. Stephen’s Day.³

The bottom line

The time between Christmas and New Year can always feel like a bit of a blur, and Boxing Day is no exception.

If you’re lucky enough not to be working, why not keep yourself occupied with our top 10 things to do? Even if you might just want to spend the time binging on Christmas TV and polishing off the last of the mince pies, there is plenty of festive fun to be had both at home and out and about.

Sources

1. Boxing Day | Definition, Meaning, Traditions, Activities, & Facts | Britannica. In: Encyclopædia Britannica [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2023 Nov 20]. Available from: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Boxing-Day

2. Boxing Day, n. meanings, etymology and more | Oxford English Dictionary. Oedcom [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2023 Nov 20]; Available from: https://www.oed.com/dictionary/boxing-day_n

3. The Christmas encyclopedia : Crump, William D., 1949- : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive [Internet]. Internet Archive. 2013 [cited 2023 Nov 20]. Available from: https://archive.org/details/christmasencyclo00will