When exactly is Boxing Day in Dec and what is open(restaurants,theater,museums) on those days-??

SAME question for XMAS in LONDON--

Will be there with spouse and 2 grown kids-need to keep all entertained,transported, and fed....

All help will be greatly appreciated....

Thanks

Boxing Day is 26th December, the day after Christmas Day. Both days are bank (public) holidays, as is January 1st. Throughout the UK nearly everything is closed as people spend the day with family, and sleeping off the Christmas excesses. Public transport is at a minimum on both days (non-existent in some areas). The time betwen Christmas and the 2nd of January is a quiet time, with many offices closed and reduced public services. (The exception is the days when the Christmas sales start, when shopping areas will be manic).

When I lived in London I was always away at Christmas, so I'm not sure what would be open there. However, the city never sleeps so you'll be better off there than anywhere else. The websites of museums should help with their opening dates. I suspect that nearly all museums and theatres will be closed, but some restaurants will be open.. it might be a good idea to book a table though.

Hopefully someone on this board will have more precise information.

As a suggestion, why not take a walk through the City on Boxing Day, if you find the museums closed. It can be magical when the streets are deserted, and it's easy to do on foot. St. Paul's, the Thames, the Guildhall, the Roman Wall by Moorgate are all pretty close together. Hi-tech bank headquarters jostle with ancient stone buildings, all following the winding street pattern of centuries ago. Get a good guidebook, and have a real Dickensian Boxing Day.

Enjoy your trip!

I might be dreaming, but I recall going out on Boxing Day and walking through outer-London shopping centers, having meals in pubs, like a regular day. Banks, of course, and public services are probably closed. But I remember the shopping mall being THRONGED with the crowds. I also remember one very wintry Boxing Day with people standing in line (the queue) waiting to get into the shops to have first dibs at the after-Christmas sales.

Your pub question reminded me of a fun thing we did in London. We took one of the London Walks. It was great fun. We did the Along the Thames pub walk. I did a quick check on the web and they have a web site. http://www.walks.com/ They are open 365 days of the year and they even have two special walks on Christmas day. Check out the link for Special Walks.

Marta

I highly recommend London Walks. We took the Jack the Ripper Walk in the pouring rain. Fabulous.

And so easy. We simply met the guide at the tube station on the night of the walk and handed him the fee.

I changed plans and am flying on Xmas Day -- there are only 2 walk taking place that day-- Charles Dickens Walks--


Kids did not want to do that- SO since nothing else was going on, we are flying into Paris a day early...