Boxing Day and beyond

Boxing Day: How did it get its name?

The name comes from a time during Queen Victoria's reign when the rich used to box up gifts to give to the poor and traditionally a day off for servants - a day when they received a special Christmas box from their masters. The servants would also go home on Boxing Day to give Christmas boxes to their families.

The 26 December also has religious connections and is celebrated as Saint Stephen's Day but now is a day of post Christmas relaxation, cold collations, high street sales... and now, much Morris Dancing and Mumming.

Boxing Day - Friday 26th December 2025

• Anker Morris : 12 noon Bird in Hand, Main Rd, Austrey, Atherstone CV9 3EB
  ​We will be dancing at midday followed by singing carols in the pub.
• Ashdown Forest Morris Men : 1:00 pm, The Hatch Inn(link is external), Colemans Hatch, TN7 4EJ
• Bedford Morris Men : as usual opposite Embankment Hotel from 10.45 am and then The Swan from 11.30am. Boar's Head Ceremony(link is external) at noon.
• Blackheath Morris Men : A bracing afternoon of dancing around various Blackheath Pubs, followed by tunes. 1:00 pm, Princess of Wales 1a Montpelier Row, SE3 0RL; 1:45 pm, The Crown, 47-49 Tranquil Vale SE3 0BS.
• Brackley Morris Men : Boxing Day Tour -  11:00am Stratton Arms Main St, Turweston, Brackley NN13 5JX; 
  12 noon Backley Market Place; 2:00 pm Black Bird, 38 High St, Croughton, Brackley NN13 5LT final stand and music.
• Bristol Morris Men : Keynsham Mummers Play(link is external) - 11.00 am, St John's church Keynsham; 11:30 am Keynsham Library Riverside, Temple Street (Opposite Keynsham Leisure Centre; The New Inn, 12 noon.  [The picture above shows Keynsham's St George].
• Broadwood Morris Men : performing Morris, Longsword and The Rusper Mummers Play at 11:00 am The Black Horse, Nuthurst, RH13 6LH; 12:30 pm The Star Inn, Rusper, RH12 4RA; 1:30 pm The Frog & Nightgown, Faygate, RH12 4SS
• Buckland Shag Morris : will perform their Mummers Play 1:00 pm at the Skimmington Castle, Bonny’s Road, Reigate Heath, Surrey RH2 8RL TBC
• Chanctonbury Ring Morris : Please note - change of first venue - The Castle Inn Hotel, The Street, Bramber, Steyning BN44 3WE We’ll start dancing at 11:00 am, followed by The Steyning Tipteers Mummers’ Play. Then dancing and play are both repeated (never the same twice...) at the Frankland Arms, Washington RH20 4AL from 12:30 pm.
• Colchester Morris : 12:30 pm The Chequers, The Streeet, Great Tey CO6 1JS - mulled wine, mince pies ... and morris
• Coventry Morris : TBC dance at around 10:30 at Kennilworth Castle and move to the Queen & Castle pub at around 11:30.am with hosts Chinewrde Morris(link is external) at their traditional traditional Boxing Day appearance at the Mayor's event
• Dartington Morris : 12 noon 'til 1:00 pm, Totnes (the Plains  opposite Royal Seven Stars). They will be dancing and performing their Christmas Mummers' Play.
• Datchet Border Morris : 10:45 am, Datchet Green, SL3 9EH, including The Mummers Play and Sword dance (longsword or rapper and after in The Red Stag)
• East Suffolk Morris Men :  12:30 pm at the green, The Sailing Club, Pin Mill, Ipswich IP9 1JP and then, as the tide come in, we’ll retreat to the sailing club for mince pies and to sing a selection of carols. Usually we are joined by local musicians and many of the local residents and visitors for an afternoon of song.
• Ewell St. Mary's Morris Men : 12 noon, The Famous Green Man; 12:30 pm, opposite The Star; 1:00 pm, The Watch House, Church Street; 1:30 pm, The Spring Tavern; 2:00 pm, The Wheatsheaf, followed by the traditional mid-winter mummers’ play in the yard of the Upper Mill with hosts Chinwrde(link is external) Morris
• Faithful City Morris Men - 12:30 pm - The Talbot, Bromyard Rd, Knightwick, Worcester WR6 5PH
• Flamborough Sword Dancers(link is external) : Flamborough, Yorkshire (or is it Humberside?) 11:30 am The White Horse 30 High St, Bempton, Bridlington YO15 1HB; 1:00 pm The Rose and Crown High St, N End, Flamborough, YO15 1JY; 1:45 pm Seabirds Inn 14 Tower St, Flamborough,  YO15 1PD; 2:30 pm Victoria Club, Chapel St, Flamborough, YO15 1LH; 3:00 pm Dog & Duck Square Flamborough YO15 1NB. The Dancers usually support the charity fundraiser, the Flamborough Boxing Day Dip so you may catch them before their regular tour, at North Landing from 10.45 am with the Dip at 11:00 am.
• Foresters Morris & Sword Dancing Club - TBC 11:00 am Bottesford duck race(link is external). Seven hundred numbered plastic ducks will be  dropped into the River Devon, at Washdyke Bridge near Station Road and Grantham Road (old A52), Bottesford NG13. They will travel to the finishing line near St Marys Church, off Rectory Lane​
• Gloucester Morris :  9:30am – The Queens Hotel, The Promenade, Cheltenham GL50 1NN; 10:30 am Imperial Gardens, Cheltenham GL50 1QA;12 noon Dancing and city Gloucester mumming play, Gloucester Cathedral with Lassington Oak Morris Men, and England’s Glory Ladies Morris, etc., and a bonus Mummers play! Followed by refreshments in the Pelican Inn 4 St Mary's St, Gloucester GL1 2QR
• Golden Star Morris : TBC 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm The Wig N Pen 6 St Martins Palace Plain, NR3 1RN Norwich, Norfolk
• Green Oak Morris Men : TBC 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm - Sun Inn Everton, DN10 5BW
• Greensleeves Morris Men : 12.15 pm Opposite the Rose and Crown, Wimbledon Village SW19 5BA; 1:15 pm The Hand in Hand and The Crooked Billet, Wimbledon Common SW19 4RQ.
• Grenoside Sword Dancers(link is external) : Our traditional day of dance. We perform the dance at 11am sharp on Main Street outside the Old Harrow Inn S35 8PP - as they have for over 200 years. With guests followed by carol singing in the Old Red Lion 210 Main St, Grenoside S35 8PR
• Grimsby Morris(link is external) :  12 noon The Punchbowl, 195 North Promenade, Cleethorpes DN35 8SJ; 12.40 pm The No. 2 Refreshment Room (Under the Clock),Cleethorpes Railway Station 177 North Promenade, DN35 8AX; 1.20 pm Jonny Donuts, 65 Central Promenade, Cleethorpes DN35 8SE; 2.00 pm Willy's Pub / Brighton Slipway, 17 High Cliff Rd, Cleethorpes DN35 8RQ; 2:40 pm The Nottingham House Hotel , 5-7 Sea View St, Cleethorpes DN35 8EU - usually followed by music and singing
• Handsworth Traditional Sword Dancers : 11:00 am The Cross  Market Square, Woodhouse, S13 7JX. (Next to Cross Street); 12 noon at Handsworth in the car park behind St. Mary's Church, S13 9BZ. Followed by carols in the Chantry Inn 400 Handsworth Rd, Handsworth S13 9BZ
• Harthill Morris  11:00 am, The Bluebell, 4 Woodall Ln, Harthill, S26 7YQ; 12 noon, The Beehive, Harthill, 16 Union St, Harthill, S26 7YH.
• Hartley Morris Men :12 noon The Villager Erskine Rd, Vigo, Vigo Village, DA13 0TD; 1.15 pm The Rose and Crown, Wrotham TN15 7AE - We will be dancing and performing the Firle Mummers Play(link is external).
• Headington Quarry Morris Dancers : Their traditional Mummers Play with Rapper Sword Dancing and Hand Bell Ringing at the following public houses within the Quarry Parish: 11:15 am The Crown & Thistle (pub now closed), 132 Old Road, 12:15 pm Six Bells, 3 Beaumont Road; 1:00 pm Chequers 17A Beaumont Road; and 1:45 pm Masons Arms Quarry School Place. Marking the 125th anniversary of Cecil Sharp’s historic first encounter with the morris tradition in Headington! Free. All are welcome.
• Highside Longsword(link is external) : Starting at 1.00 pm at the Queen's Head, Main St, Kirkby Malzeard, HG4 3RS and dancing
  around the village.
• The Traditional Ilmington Morris Men : The side perform the traditional village Mummers play on tour starting in  Shipston-on-Stour, traditionally visiting the sheltered homes for the elderly, then continuing to  The Howard Arms,Ilmington at 1:00 pm and The Red Lion, Ilmington, at 2:00 pm (timings may vary).
• Kemp's Men of Norwich : from 12 noon Banningham Crown, Church Rd, Banningham, Norwich NR11 7DY
• King John's Morris Men : from 12 noon, The Vine Inn, High Street, Old Bursledon SO31 8DJ - Border Morris and Mummers’ Play
• Leicester Morris Men : 12 noon – 2.00 pm as Red Leicester Border - Swithland Boxing Day at The Griffin Inn(link is external), Main Street, Swithland LE12 8TJ  (Including a performance of the Sproxton Wooing Play)
• Letchworth Morris Men : 12:30 pm The Fox, Willian; 1:30 pm Three Horseshoes, Willian. There's also a music session at The Three Horseshoes afterwards to allow the dancers to re-hydrate with a couple of beers.
• Leominster Morris : 12 noon - Mummers Play & dancing at The New Inn, Pembridge, HR6 9DZ
• Long Man Morris : 10:30 am at the Bandstand, The Grand Parade Parade, Eastbourne BN21 3AD.  All proceeds to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution
• Manchester Morris :  from 12:30 pm dancing outside The Fox public house, Brookbottom, near New Mills SK22 3AY, followed by carols inside. TBC
• Mendip Morris : TBC 12 noon, Golden Lion, Broad St, Wrington, Bristol, BS40 5LA ; 1:00 pm - The Plough Inn, High St, Congresbury, BS49 5JA
• Mersey Morris : from 11:00 am, Boxing Day Revels, Willaston Village Green
• Moulton Morris Men : 11:00 am Local Mummers Play and Morris Dancing on Stocks Hill Moulton NN3 7TB followed by music and song at The Artichoke 23 Church St NN3 7SP
• North Curry Mummers : TBC 12 noon The Royal Oak The Square, Huntham Lane, Stoke St Gregory, TA36EH; 1:00 pm Queen Square, North Curry Nr Taunton TA3 6LT - The Bird in Hand open for food and singing afterwards.
• North Wood Morris : 12.45 pm, The Harrow Inn(link is external) 309 Farleigh Road, Warlingham,CR6 9EL
• Plymouth Morris : 12 noon Ferry House Inn 888 Wolseley Rd, Saltash Passage, Plymouth PL5 1LA
• Ravensbourne MM : 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm, The Greyhound(link is external), Commonside Keston BR2 6BP - 62 years and counting!
• Redcar Sword Dancers : 12 noon at Greatham, Hospital Gates, near Hartlepool, Co Durham,  Sword Dance and Play. A unique event, this could be the only example of a longsword dance and its play still being performed together.  The Hope and Anchor, their ‘watering hole’ and venue of the popular post dance singaround, has reopened !
• Richmond On Swale Morris Men : TBC  annual Boxing Day tour in to Richmond, starting from 11:00 am at the Stanwick Inn Aldbrough St John; 12 noon The Ralph Fitz Randal 6 Queens Road, Richmond DL10 4 AE; 12:20 pm The Bishops Blaize 40 Market Place Richmond DL10 4QL; 1:00 pm The Black Lion 12 Finkle Street Richmond DL10 4QB
• Ripley Morris :  12 noon, Ripley Market Place; 1:00 pm Moulders Arms aka Thack 53 Church St, Riddings DE55 4BX; 2:00 pm Seven Stars 26 Church St, Riddings DE55 4BX
• Rutland Morris Men : 10:30 am, (to dance at 11:00 am) 11.00am The Horse & Jockey, Manton; 12 noon Market Place, Uppingham; 1.00pm The Crown, Uppingham (room permitting)
• Shakespeare Morris :  Mummers' - Fleece Inn The Cross, Bretforton, Evesham WR11 7JE
• Silurian Morris Men : Annual Tour starts11:00am Ledbury Town Centre (just after the hunt have finished doing their bit), then moves to various locations. 12ish the Yew Tree Inn, Colwall, WR13 6ED; One ish The Morgan, WR14 3EQ, Two ish The Three Kings Hanley Castle, WR8 0BL but times may vary -  usually followed by a music session
• Southport Swords : approx 12:30 pm Hesketh Arms Botanic Rd, Churchtown PR9 7NA and then across the road to the Bold Hotel, 583 Lord St PR9 0BE followed about 2:45 pm by The Guest House, 16 Union Street PR9 0QE
• Thames Valley Morris Men : Tour of Claygate 11:30 am Platform 3 (in The Parade, KT10 0PB);
  12:30 pm The Foley (Hare Lane, KT10 0LZ);1.15 pm, The Hare & Hounds (The Green, KT10 0JL); 
  from 2.00 p.m The Griffin (Common Road, KT10 0HW). We will be collecting for the Princess Alice Hospice.
• Thaxted Morris Men : 11:00 am, Church Hall, including country dancing for all; 12:00, dancing in the Churchyard followed by songs and music in The Swan; 3:00 pm Dancing at the Maypole.
• Towersey Morris : Dancing 12 noon, Three Horseshoes, Chinnor Rd, Towersey OX9 3QY;
  Mummers play at 1.00 pm
• The Traditional Ilmington Morris Dancers : Mummers tour starting in  Shipston-on-Stour, traditionally visiting the sheltered homes for the elderly, then continuing to  The Howard Arms,Ilmington at 1pm and The Red Lion, Ilmington, at 2pm (timings may vary).  The Morris side perform the traditional village Mummers play.
• Uttoxeter Heart of Oak Morris : 12 noon - 3:00 pm  Uttoxeter Market Place ST14 to dance and present a small play - Stafford Morris will be joining us - and perhaps a pint at 1:15 pm The Hart, Carter St, Uttoxeter ST14 8EU
• Victory Morris : The Legendary Lagos Motor Club's annual outing will take place as usual on Boxing Day 1:00 pm onwards at The Pembroke, 20 Pembroke Rd, Old Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2NR
• Wakefield Morris 12.30 pm The King's Arms, Heath Common, Wakefield WF1 5SE
• Wantage Mummers: 10:00 am - 10:30 am Faringdon Market Place, Faringdon Oxfordshire SN7 7HP; 12 noon - 12:30 pm The Bear Hotel, Wantage Oxfordshire; 1:15 pm Childrey Village Hall, High Street, Childrey OX12 9UE There is always a session in Childrey after the last performance, Although the pub in Childrey has now closed the villagers are determined to do all they can to keep up the tradition, albeit in the village hall.
• Wantsum Morris Men : 11:00 am, Powell Arms 11 The Square, Birchington; 12 noon The Sun Inn The Street, St Nicholas at Wade; 1:00 pm The Gate Inn Marshside Church Lane, Boyden Gate, Chislet, Canterbury; 2:00 pm The Crown Inn (The Old Cherry Brandy House) Ramsgate Road, Sarre
• Wath Morris :  9.45 Meet at Wath Lake 10.00 am; 10:30 am Dancing outside Wentworth Post Office; 11:30 am Carols in The Rockingham Arms 8 Main St, Wentworth, Rotherham S62 7TLs; 12:45 pm Dancing outside The Rockingham Arms; 1:00 pm Procession: 1:15 pm Dancing and mummers plays outside The George and Dragon; 2.45 pm Dancing at the Rugby Club, Wath - Morris, Sword, Mummers and carols.
• Wessex Morris Men : 12 noon, Mumming and Morris in Cerne Abbas Village Square DT2 7JG
• West Somerset Morris : 11:00 am - 12 noon, Dunster Yarn Market TA24 6SF
• Whitchurch Morris : 12 noon The Red Lion, Little Missenden HP7 0RB
• Yateley Morris Men : 12 noon, The Queens Oak, Church Lane, Finchampstead, Wokingham RG40 4LS; 1:00 pm Dog & Partridge(link is external) in Yateley GU46 7LR with Yateley Village Mummers

Saturday 27th December

• Adlington Morris Men and Mummers:  Alderley Mummers Play, Bollington tour -
  6:30 Cock & Pheasant,15 Bollington Rd, Bollington, Macclesfield, SK10 5EJ; 7:15 Vale Inn, 29-31 Adlington Rd, Bollington, Macclesfield, SK10 5JT; 8:00 Dog & Partridge, 97 Palmerston St, Bollington, Macclesfield, SK10 5JX; 
  8:45 The Poachers Inn, 95 Ingersley Rd, Bollington, Macclesfield, SK10 5RE; 9:30 The Cotton Tree Inn, Ingersley Rd, Bollington, Macclesfield, SK10 5RE
• Saddleworth Morris Men : from around 1.00 pm onwards.are out performing the Lordsmere Longsword dance in the pubs of Saddleworth. Usual contact details for the side for those wanting more info.

... and for New Year and January Events CLICK HERE