December 26
Overview
Holidays & Observances
Boxing Day, except when December 26 is a Sunday. If it is a Sunday, Boxing Day is transferred toDecember 27by Royal Proclamation. (Commonwealth of Nations), and its related observances:
Day of Good Will(South AfricaandNamibia), Family Day (Vanuatu), Thanksgiving (Solomon Islands)
Boxing Day is celebrated annually on December 26 in many Commonwealth nations as a time for giving, relaxation, and community gatherings. It also includes related observances such as the Day of Good Will in South Africa and Namibia, Family Day in Vanuatu, and Thanksgiving in the Solomon Islands.
Christianfeast day:
Abadiu of Antinoe(Coptic Church), Earliest day on whichFeast of the Holy Familycan fall, celebrated on Sunday after Christmas or 30 if Christmas falls on a Sunday., James the Just(Eastern Orthodox Church), Saint Stephen(Western Church), Synaxis of the Theotokos(Eastern Orthodox Church), December 26 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)
A Christian feast day honoring figures such as Saint Stephen, James the Just, and the Synaxis of the Theotokos, observed across Coptic, Eastern Orthodox, and Western churches.
Independence and Unity Day (Slovenia)
Slovenia's Independence and Unity Day commemorates the 1990 plebiscite where Slovenians voted overwhelmingly for independence from Yugoslavia.
Mauro HamzaDay (Houston, Texas)
Mummer's Day(Padstow,Cornwall)
Padstow's Mummer's Day is a centuries-old Cornish folk celebration on Boxing Day featuring masked dancers, music, and traditional rituals.
Saint Stephen's Day(public holiday inAlsace, Austria,Catalonia,Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy,Ireland,Luxembourg, Poland,Slovakiaand Switzerland), and its related observances:
Father's Day(Bulgaria)
Saint Stephen's Day commemorates Christianity's first martyr and is observed as a public holiday in many European regions, with related observances such as Bulgaria's Father's Day.
The first day ofKwanzaa, celebrated until January 1 (United States)
The first day of Kwanzaa marks the beginning of a week-long celebration of African heritage, unity, and cultural values in the United States.
The first day ofJunkanoostreet parade, the second day is on theNew Year's Day(The Bahamas)
The first day of Junkanoo, the vibrant Bahamian street parade, bursts with colorful costumes, rhythmic music, and high-energy dancing.
The second day of theTwelve Days of Christmas(Western Christianity)
Second day of Christmas (Public holiday inthe Netherlands, Poland and Slovakia)
The second day of Christmas continues the festive season in Western Christianity and is a public holiday in the Netherlands, Poland, and Slovakia.
Events
Berengar I is elected as king of Italy by the lords of Lombardy. He is crowned with the Iron Crown of Lombardy at Pavia.
In 887, Berengar I was chosen as King of Italy by the Lombard lords and crowned with the famed Iron Crown at Pavia.
Battle of Westbroek: An army of 4,000 to 5,000 soldiers raised by David of Burgundy, Bishop of Utrecht, attacks an armed mob of people from nearby Utrecht who were trying to avenge the massacre of the inhabitants of Westbroek.
Bishop David of Burgundy’s troops confronted local insurgents in the 1481 Battle of Westbroek near Utrecht.
Second Battle of Anandpur: In the Second Battle of Anandpur, Aurangzeb's two generals, Wazir Khan and Zaberdast Khan executed two children of Guru Gobind Singh, Zorawar Singh aged eight and Fateh Singh aged five, by burying them alive into a wall.
During the 1704 Second Battle of Anandpur, Mughal generals executed two young sons of Guru Gobind Singh by entombing them alive.
The opera Agrippina by George Frideric Handel premiered in Venice.
George Frideric Handel’s opera Agrippina debuted in Venice to critical acclaim in 1709.
Bach led the first performance of Darzu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes, BWV 40, his first Christmas Cantata composed for Leipzig.
Johann Sebastian Bach led the premiere of his first Christmas cantata, BWV 40, in Leipzig in 1723.
American Revolutionary War: In the Battle of Trenton, the Continental Army under General George Washington executes a successful surprise attack and defeats a garrison of Hessian forces serving Great Britain.
General George Washington’s forces won a surprise victory over Hessian troops at the Battle of Trenton in 1776.
Louis XVI of France gives his public assent to Civil Constitution of the Clergy during the French Revolution.
King Louis XVI accorded royal approval to the Civil Constitution of the Clergy during France’s Revolution in 1790.
Second Battle of Wissembourg: France defeats Austria.
French troops defeated the Austrians at the Second Battle of Wissembourg in 1793 during the revolutionary wars.
Henry Lee III's eulogy to George Washington in congress declares him as "first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen".
Henry Lee III delivered a stirring congressional eulogy for George Washington in 1799, praising his unmatched leadership.
Births
Frederick II
Holy Roman Emperor from 1220 to 1250, known for his cultural patronage, legal reforms, and persistent conflicts with the papacy.
Charles de Valois
French prince of the Valois dynasty, holding the titles Duke of Berry and Normandy during the late 15th century.
Rose Lok
English businesswoman and Protestant exile noted for her firsthand account of life during the Marian persecutions.
Wilhelm Xylander
German classical scholar and translator renowned for his Latin translations of ancient Greek works.
Yi I
One of Joseon Korea's most influential Confucian scholars, known for his philosophical writings and reforms.
Albert
German nobleman who ruled the County of Nassau-Weilburg during the mid-16th century.
Philip III
German prince of the House of Hesse who ruled the small Landgraviate of Hesse-Butzbach.
Elisabeth of the Palatinate
German princess renowned for her philosophical correspondence with René Descartes.
John Page
English colonial statesman who served in the Virginia House of Burgesses in the 17th century.
Deaths
Dionysius
Pope of the Catholic Church from 259 to 268 who authored influential letters and worked to reconcile early theological disputes.
Zosimus
Pope of the Catholic Church from 417 to 418 who navigated controversies over Pelagianism.
Euthymius of Sardis
Byzantine bishop and saint renowned for his defense of religious icons during the iconoclast controversy.
Zheng
Empress of the Tang Dynasty who held significant influence at the imperial court.
Masrur al-Balkhi
Abbasid general active in the late 9th century known for his military leadership.
Gao Qiong
Song dynasty general who defended the fledgling empire’s northern frontiers.
Reginald Fitz Jocelin
Archbishop-elect of Canterbury and Bishop of Bath and Wells in the late 12th century.
Valdemar
King of Sweden from 1250 until his deposition in 1275.
Philip I
Prince of Taranto and titular Latin Emperor of Constantinople in the early 14th century.