Boxing Day in Germany
In Germany, 26 December is officially the Second Day of Christmas and a public holiday across the country. It extends the Christmas period, while the church calendar also marks the Feast of Saint Stephen on this date.[1][2][3]
A public holiday throughout Germany
German public holidays are generally set by the federal states. Christmas is among the holidays recognized throughout the country; state sources list 26 December as the Second Day of Christmas. Bavaria’s Interior Ministry identifies it as a statutory holiday there, and Lower Saxony’s Interior Ministry includes the Second Day of Christmas in its list of state-recognized holidays.[1][2][3]
Workers do not generally have to work on public holidays, and schools are closed. The day’s status comes from state holiday law rather than a single nationwide law naming it Boxing Day.[1][2]
Christmas and Saint Stephen
The German name, Zweiter Weihnachtstag, means Second Day of Christmas. The church calendar also observes Saint Stephen on 26 December. The Vatican identifies him as the Church’s first martyr and describes his feast as set in the spiritual light of Christ’s birth.[3][4]
This gives the date both a civic and a Christian meaning in Germany: it is part of the Christmas holiday period and, for Christian communities, a day associated with Saint Stephen.[2][4]
How people observe the day
The day falls within Germany’s two Christmas public holidays. Families may use the time for visits or rest; the federal government’s guide notes that many people use public holidays for family outings or relaxation.[1]
Festive meals vary by family and region. Germany’s national tourism board describes roast goose with dumplings and red cabbage, or carp, as dishes eaten on the following Christmas days; it also notes duck as a preference in Schleswig-Holstein.[5]
What to expect
Most shops and supermarkets close on public holidays, according to the federal government’s everyday-life guide. It notes that some outlets, including petrol stations and railway-station shops, may open on Sundays; check locally before relying on them on a holiday.[1]
Check local transport operators for service details, and plan routine shopping before 26 December.[1]
Frequently asked questions
Is 26 December a public holiday in Germany?
What is Boxing Day called in Germany?
Are shops and supermarkets open?
Most shops and supermarkets close on public holidays. Some petrol stations and railway-station shops may open, so check local hours.[1]
Do workers and schoolchildren get the day off?
Public holidays are generally non-working days, and schools are closed. Individual work arrangements can vary.[1]
Sources and references
Sources used for Boxing Day in Germany:
- Useful everyday knowledge- Make it in Germany, Federal Government of Germany
- Feiertagsrecht- Lower Saxony Ministry of the Interior, Sport and Digitalization
- Feiertage in Bayern- Bavarian State Ministry of the Interior, for Sport and Integration
- Angelus, 26 December 2008, Feast of St Stephen, Protomartyr- The Holy See
- Christmas Eve: Christmas tree, Christ Child and Father Christmas- German National Tourist Board