The best part about Christmas isn’t just the mountain of gifts, the way-too-competitive board games played after you’ve stuffed yourself full of roast, or even the return of the Doctor Who Christmas special. It’s the day after. Piles of leftover turkey and panettone just waiting to be eaten, all while you browse the best Boxing Day sales.
While Black Friday can be a great way to get all your Christmas presents at a discount, the Boxing Day sales frequently offer even bigger savings, with retailers looking to clear out both older and newer stock. Whether you’re in search of the latest gadget or hoping to score a saving on last season’s fashion, it’s a great time to shop.
We’ve been tracking the best Boxing Day sales for years here at IndyBest, and with just a few weeks to go until the post-Christmas sales get started, this is your cheat sheet to the shopping event, from the dates to know and the best deals to expect.
It’s a date baked into everyone’s consciousness. The Boxing Day sales take place on the same date every year – 26 December.
While many retailers don’t start their Boxing Day sales until, well, Boxing Day, many kick things off with pre-Christmas discounts that last until the day before Christmas. Amazon, for example, is already offering up to 60 per cent off tech and home appliances, while Argos has up to half price off toys, games and fitness equipment.
One of the biggest outliers is high street retailer Zara. The brand always launches its Boxing Day sale a few hours early on Christmas Day. Over the past few years, it’s kicked off its sale on its app and website at 9pm and 10pm respectively.
Traditionally, Boxing Day sales lasted just one day, but the deals now run through to the end of January, meaning you don’t have to rush to pick up a bargain.
There isn’t too much difference between the Boxing Day sales and the January sales – just a name change when 1 January rolls around. You’ll find the exact same savings between 26 December and 31 January, so don’t panic. There is one reason you might prefer to shop closer to Boxing Day than the end of January, however. If you’re searching for clothes, you might struggle to find a broader range of sizes as the post-Boxing Day sales roll on. The size of the discount is usually unaffected though, especially when it comes to tech, so don’t worry about rushing into a purchase.
While we won’t know what kind of stuff will be discounted in the Boxing Day sales, we can make some educated guesses by turning back the clock and looking at the savings seen in the Boxing Day sales in 2022, as well as the more recent Black Friday sales in November.
There was a lot to choose from when it came to household appliances and kitchenware. This Le Creuset cast iron casserole soup pot (£199, Johnlewis.com) was discounted by a whopping 40 per cent in the John Lewis Boxing Day sale, while Amazon had discounted the Ninja foodi flexdrawer air fryer (£269.99, Amazon.co.uk) to just £219.
Where tech is concerned, the Black Friday sales saw Apple’s AirPods Pro (£219, Amazon.co.uk) reduced to their lowest ever price at £199, while those after a Fitbit Charge 5 (£129, Amazon.co.uk) were treated to a hefty 42 per cent discount. Elsewhere, LG’s 48in OLED48A26 TV (£999, Ao.com) was reduced to just £799 at electronics retailer AO.
And in terms of fashion and jewellery, we saw Ugg’s “oh yeah” slides discounted by a huge £50, while a Monica Vinader disco chain bracelet was slashed in half.
There are plenty more Boxing Day savings to get excited about ahead of the big day. We’ll be rounding up some of the best early Boxing Day deals as we get nearer to Christmas.
You can save over 50 per cent off the Amazon Echo pop right now, taking its price down to less than £20. This Bluetooth smart speaker complete with Alexa can be used to stream music, set timers, ask random questions and much more. In our review of the Amazon Echo Pop, our writer said: “The Echo pop is a fun, pretty cute-looking Alexa device with a slanting fabric speaker front anxd a plastic rear.” Plus, the sound quality is “decent for such a small device.”
If you’ve been eyeing up an air fryer for a while but are yet to invest, now’s the time, as this model is currently reduced by 50 per cent. Tefal’s model boasts a 4.2l capacity, eight cooking programs and a grill function for all your culinary needs. Saving you both time and energy, you’ll be able to rustle up everything from crispy chips and juicy burgers to grilled halloumi and vegetables.
You can currently save almost 40 per cent on a SAD lamp from Lumie as we try and get used to the darker months. This Lumie model can be placed on a surface in either portrait or landscape orientation, so it’s ideal for compact spaces. We included this exact Lumie light box in our best SAD lamps round-up, with our tester noting: “It’s super easy to use – just plug in, switch on and go.”
