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To have no idea what people do on Boxing Day?

231 replies

cantthinkofausername26 · 13/12/2024 07:27

For the first time, ever, I have no Boxing Day plans. Boxing Day was always seeing my grandparents (now they have died) and in the last 20 years, seeing my inlaws. Sadly they have both recently passed away.
I have two kids 8 and 12, and no idea what people do on Boxing Day! Any ideas gratefully received.

OP posts:
Saracen · 13/12/2024 09:11

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 13/12/2024 08:33

My DM must have been mad - we always had a big roast dinner on Boxing Day too - only it’d be pork instead of turkey. Except for no crackers, it was like a 2nd Christmas dinner.

My lovely late MIL was like that too. She always cooked a massive Christmas dinner. One year we (her children and their partners) saw that she had bought a smaller than usual Christmas turkey and expressed our relief that we should be able to manage most of it.

Then she showed us the identical bird she planned to cook the next day! 😂

Joystir59 · 13/12/2024 09:11

We always went to the panto on boxing day

RufustheFactuaIReindeer · 13/12/2024 09:09

I love Boxing Day, just a total decompress of the mental previous few weeks

this is a lovely way of putting it, we watch dvds that the children get for Christmas, eat leftovers, buffet food and sweets, play all the games they got

mine are adult and this year there are at least 13 games 😳

more recently dh dad who is by himself comes round to sit in our garden pub with us all for a few hours.

WaldoPablo · 13/12/2024 09:05

HPandthelastwish · 13/12/2024 07:53

We sleep in, go for a walk along the beach, pub on the pier for a hot chocolate and walk back home, then buffet tea.

This sounds just perfect. Wish i lived by the sea!

Nourishinghandcream · 13/12/2024 09:03

With all our older family gone, Boxing day is just chill out day.

Late up, breakfast of bubble & squeak, nice long walk with Ddogs, slob out & snooze in front of the fire.
Bliss!

Whattheduck · 13/12/2024 09:01

I like to get up before Dh and Dd and sit with a coffee and start whichever book my mum buys me
Dh and Dd make their Boxing Day pie which is all the leftovers from Christmas Day but in a pie it’s is our favourite part of Christmas and is so tasty
We always go the see Dh’s dad and stepmum in the evening to swap gifts and have buffet food
We watch tv / nap / take the dog for a good walk

LostInTheMoonlight · 13/12/2024 08:59

*our

EnglishGirlApproximately · 13/12/2024 08:58

DP always works on boxing day so me and DS started a tradition of going to play mini golf then going for a walk and an ice cream. We really look forward to it every year, it's great to be outdoors after being inside so much on Christmas day.

LostInTheMoonlight · 13/12/2024 08:58

AInightingale · 13/12/2024 08:35

I must be doing something wrong here because my Boxing Days usually involve a lot of binbags and wrestling with recycling.

😂

PromoJoJo · 13/12/2024 08:58

This reply has been withdrawn

Withdrawn at the poster's request.

OTannenbaumOTannenbaum · 13/12/2024 08:57

Pyjama day, watch movies, eat all the leftover Christmas food / chocolate.

YYURYYUCICYYUR4ME · 13/12/2024 08:56

Boxing Day, if not with relatives, is a slouch, play, munch and do bugger all day!

Itsjustnotthevibe · 13/12/2024 08:56

We do have plans but if not I would have a lie in, eat a nice breakfast, go for a walk (on my own if I can't drag the kids along with me!) and then play games, watch a movie and eat leftovers.

RobinEllacotStrike · 13/12/2024 08:56

Boxing Day swim here

Rainallnight · 13/12/2024 08:54

I feel for you, OP. It was always a big family day for us and now my grandparents and parents are dead, I did feel all at sea about what to do.

I decided that I loved the sociability of what my family had done so I’ve embraced it and now we host a sort of buffet on Boxing Day and have people over. It’s a bit of work but thankfully my DP is up for it and handles the catering.

BraveFacesEveryone · 13/12/2024 08:54

I will be have a PJ day with some friends, drinking Prosecco, watching films, eating cheese and crackers. DH and his friends (my friends other halves) will be at the football (it’s an away fixture).

LostInTheMoonlight · 13/12/2024 08:53

Now are kids are older, we have a lie in and then take the dogs somewhere nice for a long walk. When we get back we cook and eat party food and then play games, watch films and just relax.

SanctusInDistress · 13/12/2024 08:52

Go for a walk, eat more, watch more tv, fart, have a nap, eat more, watch tv more, another walk, etc.

honeylulu · 13/12/2024 08:51

We usually go to the panto with our youngest in the afternoon - this is a throwback from my childhood as we often did the same.

Our local National Trust house is open on Boxing Day. The last few years we have gone there in the morning, seen the house all decorated for Christmas and then had a walk around the grounds if it's not too wet/muddy. Really nice after a day of over indulgence and being parked indoors in Christmas day.

Other years we've visited family and friends or had them round.

Husband always boils up the turkey bones into stock and we have lovely soup and turkey sandwiches.

StrawberryFlowers · 13/12/2024 08:49

We're visiting friends

Purplecatshopaholic · 13/12/2024 08:47

How about relaxing and taking the day as it comes, no pressure! I walk my dogs and watch Christmas films with my partner, bliss.

Ithinkyou · 13/12/2024 08:45

Recuperate from Christmas day! Kids play with new toys, eat leftovers, go for a walk, watch a film.

SereneCapybara · 13/12/2024 08:43

Where we live there are traditional village festivities on Boxing Day. We usually go down to those and bump into a few familiar faces. A Boxing day walk is traditional too and then a left overs tea.

It's a good day to get DC actually playing with their toys: build those lego sets, play those board games, try out the new bike/scooter/gocart/skateboard. Set up the new basketball hoop. If it pours with rain play board games and silly stuff like charades or hide and seek, and put on a family Christmas movie.

Bacardi101 · 13/12/2024 08:43

I love Boxing Day! A lie in and building the Lego the kids have had followed by Christmas picnic (leftovers from day before) and board games and a Christmas film

AbigailisPartiedOut · 13/12/2024 08:42

As someone else said, treat it like a Sunday in the 80s. Walk the dog and relax. No cooking except bubble and squeak served with ham and leftover roast from Xmas day, cheese and crackers left out on the table to pick at throughout the day. Play games, watch tv, chill out. Forget the rest of the mad world exists and enjoy a little boxing day happy bubble.