The day after Christmas often feels like an emotional and physical whirlwind.

The weeks leading up to December 25 are filled with preparation: shopping for gifts, planning family gatherings, cooking feasts, and decorating homes. While Christmas Day is the crescendo of this festive symphony, December 26—often called Boxing Day in many countries—provides a much-needed moment to breathe, reflect, and recuperate.

Yet, for those living in the United States, this day is just another workday. Unlike several other countries, the U.S. doesn’t recognize December 26 as a public holiday. This leaves many Americans rushing back to their routines, often still exhausted from the festivities.

Couldn’t we all benefit from an extra day to recover and savor the holiday spirit?

Countries That Celebrate December 26 as a Holiday

Many nations embrace the day after Christmas as a public holiday, offering their citizens a chance to relax and extend the festive cheer. This day is celebrated as Boxing Day, a tradition inherited from British colonial rule. But, significantly, the Day allows their citizens to extend the festive celebrations providing an additional day to rest and spend time with family and friends after Christmas.

• United Kingdom 🇬🇧, Canada 🇨🇦, Australia 🇦🇺, and New Zealand 🇳🇿: Boxing Day is a public holiday traditionally associated with giving to the less fortunate or rewarding service workers. Today, it often features shopping sales and sporting events.

• South Africa 🇿🇦: Boxing Day is a day for rest or family activities.

• Ireland 🇮🇪: Known as St. Stephen’s Day, it honors the first Christian martyr and includes parades and celebrations.

• Germany 🇩🇪 and Poland 🇵🇱: December 26 is recognized as the Second Day of Christmas, a time for quiet reflection and continued family gatherings.

• Scandinavia (Denmark 🇩🇰, Sweden 🇸🇪, Norway 🇳🇴): These countries also observe the Second Day of Christmas, often as a day of relaxation.

Other countries that observe December 26 as a public holiday include:

• Nigeria 🇳🇬
• Bahamas 🇧🇸
• Barbados 🇧🇧
• Antigua and Barbuda 🇦🇬.

Incorporating these countries into the discussion further emphasizes the global recognition of the need for rest and family time following the Christmas festivities.

Why Can’t the USA Join In?

The United States, with its strong work ethic and fewer mandatory holidays compared to many other countries, has never adopted December 26 as a public holiday. Several reasons might explain this:

1. Economic Priorities: Retail businesses, already gearing up for post-Christmas sales, prioritize opening their doors on December 26.

2. Cultural Differences: The U.S. lacks the Boxing Day tradition tied to the British Commonwealth, which emphasizes service and community giving.

3. Limited Holiday Calendar: With fewer public holidays than other nations, the U.S. tends to reserve them for significant historical or national events rather than extending existing holidays.

Why the U.S. Should Consider a Holiday

The push for recognizing December 26 as a public holiday could yield several benefits:

• Physical Recuperation: After weeks of holiday preparation and a whirlwind Christmas Day, families could use an extra day to rest and rejuvenate.

• Emotional Connection: Extending the holiday allows families to spend more meaningful time together without the rush to return to work.

• Mental Health Benefits: Holidays reduce stress and improve well-being. Adding one more day to unwind could be a small but significant improvement for American workers.

• Economic Balance: Retailers would still benefit from Boxing Day sales, as they do in other countries.

Recognizing December 26 as a public holiday in the U.S. could offer benefits such as physical recuperation, emotional connection, mental health improvements, and economic balance.

Making the Case

The idea of a post-Christmas holiday in the U.S. isn’t just about leisure—it’s about aligning with human needs for rest and reconnection. If countries across Europe, Africa, and the Commonwealth can offer their citizens this opportunity, why not the U.S.?

Perhaps it’s time to spark a conversation about adjusting the holiday calendar. After all, wouldn’t it be wonderful to unwrap one final gift—a day dedicated to reflection and relaxation after the whirlwind of Christmas?

What do you think? Should December 26 become a U.S. holiday? Share your thoughts!