Boxing Day (Second Christmas Day) in Estonia
In Estonia, December 26 is a public holiday and day of rest called Boxing Day in the English translation of the law. It falls within the country’s three-day Christmas holiday period, which begins on December 24.[1]
A fixed date in the holiday calendar
Estonia’s Public Holidays and Days of National Importance Act lists December 26 as Boxing Day among public holidays and days of rest. The same list names Christmas Eve on December 24 and Christmas Day on December 25, making December 26 the third consecutive Christmas public holiday in the law.[1]
The act sets the holiday on December 26 and does not specify a replacement weekday when it falls on a weekend. The act distinguishes public holidays from the national day, which it identifies separately as February 24.[1]
Christmas in Estonia
The holiday’s Estonian context is the Christmas season, rather than a separately documented Boxing Day observance. Estonia’s national tourism board describes Christmas as the country’s most important winter holiday and says seasonal events continue from late November through Epiphany on January 6.[3]
The tourism board describes traditional Christmas meals as including blood sausage, jellied head cheese, sauerkraut, roasted potatoes and pork, with gingerbread as a seasonal dessert. It says the Christmas meal is typically eaten on Christmas Eve or on Christmas night.[3]
Work and practical arrangements
The law designates the date as a day of rest, while work can still take place where required. Under Estonia’s Employment Contracts Act, an employer must pay twice the wages for work performed on a public holiday, unless the employer and employee agree to compensate that work with time off instead.[1][2]
Opening arrangements should be checked with each provider. Tallinn City Museum states that its museums close on public holidays. Check opening hours with shops, banks and government counters, and transport schedules with the operator before you go.[4]
What the day means for visitors
For visitors, Boxing Day is part of the Christmas holiday period and may affect access to cultural venues and other services. The confirmed museum closure policy applies to Tallinn City Museum’s museums; it should not be taken as a schedule for every museum or business in Estonia.[1][4]
Check specific opening hours and transport timetables directly before making plans.[3][4]
Boxing Day in Estonia: FAQs
Is Boxing Day a public holiday in Estonia?
Yes. The Public Holidays and Days of National Importance Act lists December 26 as a public holiday and day of rest.[1]
When is Boxing Day observed in Estonia?
It is observed on December 26. The law does not specify a replacement weekday when the date falls on a weekend.[1]
Do workers receive extra pay if they work on Boxing Day?
Under the Employment Contracts Act, work on a public holiday is paid at twice the wages, unless the employer and employee agree on compensatory time off instead.[2]
Are shops, banks and public transport open?
Check opening hours with shops and banks, and transport schedules with the operator before you go. Tallinn City Museum says its museums close on public holidays.[4]
Sources and references
Sources used for Boxing Day in Estonia:
- Public Holidays and Days of National Importance Act- Riigi Teataja, Riigikogu
- Employment Contracts Act- Riigi Teataja, Riigikogu
- Holidays and folk festivals in Estonia- Visit Estonia, Estonian Business and Innovation Agency
- PUBLIC HOLIDAYS AND SHORTENED WORKING DAYS- Tallinn City Museum