Day Of Goodwill

The day after Christmas is celebrated as Day of Goodwill on December 26 in South Africa. A public holiday throughout the country, the lingering spirit of Christmas continues, as South Africans bask in the sunshine, enjoy a day at the beach, savor long lunches, and just spend some leisure time outdoors with friends and family. The holiday also gives citizens a chance to give back to society through volunteer work and charity affairs that are organized.

On the Day of Goodwill, South Africans recover from the Christmas festivities and treat themselves to a day of fun, food, and sunshine. The day was originally celebrated as Boxing Day, but in 1994 the name of the holiday was changed to Day of Goodwill as a sign of severance from the region’s colonial past. Boxing Day is essentially a British holiday during which ‘boxes’ of gifts or money are donated to the needy a day after Christmas. Despite the name change, the traditions of the holiday more or less remain the same in South Africa. It is also a public holiday so people can relax and unwind on their day off.

In 1652, the first Dutchmen stepped onto South African soil. Before long, the region became a Dutch colony. This continued until 1795 when the British took over the rule of South Africa. The Dutch reigned once again in 1803, after which the British again took control 3 years later. This conflict continued back and forth between the British and the Dutch for many years. Finally, the British granted South Africa partial independence, with the establishment of the Union of South Africa in 1910. South Africa’s exit from the Commonwealth and declaring itself a Republic in 1961 marked the beginning of the end of colonial rule. In 1994, the same year Nelson Mandela became president, Boxing Day was changed to Day of Goodwill.