Boxing Day may be the most honest day of the festive season. The big performance is over. The turkey has been reborn as a sandwich. Nobody has dressed properly since yesterday, and nobody minds. It is a day for comfort, for the sofa and for doing just as little as you can get away with.
It is also, we are quite sure, the best day of the year for chocolate.
The case for Boxing Day indulgence
Christmas Day is a lot. It has a timetable, expectations and a great deal of washing up. Boxing Day has none of that. It is permitted laziness, and what is permitted laziness without something delicious on the table?
There is a reason the half-finished box of chocolates comes into its own today. The pressure is off, so you can actually enjoy it.
The Boxing Day menu
Breakfast, whenever you like. A mug of rich hot chocolate and something warm and buttery. No rules about the time.
Elevenses. A cup of coffee and a couple of chocolates. The first of several.
Lunch. Leftovers, naturally. The best sandwich of the year.
The afternoon. A film, a blanket and the chocolate box within arm's reach.
Tea. A pot of tea and whatever is left of the Christmas cake. Perhaps with a square of dark chocolate on the side.
Evening. More leftovers, the cheeseboard and a little something sweet to finish.
Chocolate and leftovers: a surprisingly good pair
It may sound unlikely, but a few pieces of dark chocolate go brilliantly with the Boxing Day cheeseboard. The bitterness of the chocolate cuts through the richness of the cheese, and the combination feels grown-up and slightly decadent.
Try it with a blue cheese, a mature cheddar or a creamy brie, alongside some fruit and oatcakes.
The ultimate hot chocolate
Boxing Day is the day for a proper hot chocolate. Make it slowly, with real chocolate, and take your time. Then add a little something:
- A pinch of cinnamon or a drop of orange for warmth
- A splash of whisky, rum or cream liqueur for the grown-ups
- A spoonful of whipped cream because it is Boxing Day
- Marshmallows because you are allowed
The great chocolate box debate
By now, the box has been picked through. The things nobody wanted are all that is left. Here is the official position: those are the ones that deserve a second chance. The strawberry cream that was passed over might surprise you. Give it a go.
A walk first
If you want to feel virtuous before the indulgence, take a short walk. Wrap up, take a flask of hot chocolate and come back to the sofa with a clear conscience. A walk also makes the afternoon feel earned.
Treat the day as a gift
When the presents are unwrapped and the guests have gone, what remains is a quiet day. Take it. Put the kettle on, open the box and enjoy the rest of Christmas with no one to impress.
