Boxing Day in St. Vincent & Grenadines

Public holiday status

The Office of the Prime Minister lists Boxing Day among the country’s public holidays. The Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ annual festivals page also marks 26 December as a public holiday. Check opening hours with government offices and banks before you go.[1][2]

The Department of Labour says industrial workers asked to work on a public holiday are paid double time. That guidance applies to the industrial workers it defines; it should not be read as a universal pay rule for every occupation. Check opening hours with the shop, bank, government office or transport service before you go.[4]

Date and observed days

Boxing Day is observed on 26 December. The Prime Minister’s Office calendar lists it on that date, and the government’s festivals page places it immediately after Christmas Day.[1][2]

There is no general substitute-day rule for Boxing Day. In 2022, Cabinet declared Tuesday 27 December a public holiday after Christmas fell on a Sunday and its usual following-day holiday coincided with Boxing Day.[3] For a Sunday Boxing Day, check the relevant official calendar or any later government notice for the applicable observed date.[3]

Meaning and local observance

The name Boxing Day comes from the tradition of giving Christmas boxes on the first weekday after Christmas.[5]

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ official festivals calendar describes December as a month of Christmas festivities and lists Nine Mornings from 16 to 24 December, followed by Christmas Day and Boxing Day. It identifies Nine Mornings as a local festival featuring pre-dawn concerts, competitions, traditional music and steel pan in towns and villages. The page does not attribute these activities to Boxing Day itself.[2]

The government listings confirm that Boxing Day is part of the national holiday calendar, but do not describe a ceremony, customary meal, sporting event or regional variation specific to the day. Claims that families typically visit beaches, share particular foods or follow reduced ferry schedules are not substantiated by the official sources reviewed, so they are not presented here as established customs.[1][2]

Planning for the day

Treat 26 December as a public holiday when planning appointments and errands. Check opening hours with government offices and banks before you go.[1][2]

Workers in some sectors may be asked to work on public holidays. For industrial workers, the Department of Labour brochure specifies double-time pay for hours worked on a public holiday. Employees in other occupations should check the rules that apply to their sector and employment terms.[4]