The afterglow of Christmas has set in. Now comes Boxing Day, where Windsor-Essex residents either hit the stores looking for deals or spend the day relaxing with family and friends.
December 26 is a statutory holiday in Canada. While retailers and malls will be open extended hours to accommodate bargain-hunters, government offices and other points of interest will be closed or on abbreviated hours.
All federal, provincial and municipal offices are closed Thursday. There will be no mail delivery. All Service Ontario branches are closed, though some transactions can be performed online.
All Beer Store locations are closed on Boxing Day, except for four stores in Windsor and one in Leamington. The LCBO is closed Thursday. Regular hours for both businesses resume Friday.
Devonshire Mall is open on Thursday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tecumseh Mall is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Windsor Crossing outlet mall in LaSalle will be open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
All branches of the Windsor Public Library and the Essex County Library will be closed Boxing Day, but open on Friday.
In the city of Windsor, there will be no residential garbage collection on Thursday. Commercial pickup will proceed as usual. The public drop-off and household chemical waste depot off Central Ave near E.C. Row will also be closed Boxing Day, with regular winter hours resuming Friday.
The 311 Call Centre will be closed on Thursday. The 211 call centre will operate 24/7 as usual.
All Windsor indoor arenas are closed on Boxing Day except for previously-scheduled rentals. Windsor arenas and community centres will operate on adjusted hours throughout the winter holiday break.
Bright Lights Windsor in Jackson Park will be open 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. every night through Tuesday, January 7, 2020.
There is no parking enforcement in Windsor on Boxing Day. Street parking will be free, and the parking enforcement payment office will be closed. Garages and service lots will charge for parking as usual.
Transit Windsor will run on Sunday schedules on Thursday, except for routes 1A and 7. The tunnel bus to Detroit will operate on a usual weekday schedule.
Adventure Bay Family Water Park will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday. During the winter break, hours will be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. except for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
The Francois Baby House will be closed Boxing Day, but the Chimczuk Museum will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
In Amherstburg, the Light Up the Town holiday light display is open every night through February 16, 2020. The Gingerbread Warming House in “Toddy” Jones Park is open from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. each Friday, Saturday and Sunday night through January 5, 2020.
In Essex, all recreational facilities are closed on Boxing Day. A complete schedule of programming for the Christmas-New Year break is available on the town's official website.
In Kingsville, the Fantasy of Lights takes place every night in Lakeside Park through Wednesday, January 8.
In Lakeshore, the Atlas Tube Centre is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday.
In LaSalle, the Vollmer Complex is closed Thursday. A complete schedule of events through the New Year is available on LaSalle's official website.
In Leamington, the Kinsmen Recreation Complex is open Boxing Day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be no Leamington-to-Windsor (LTW) transit.
In Tecumseh, Tecumseh Arena will be closed except for previously-scheduled rentals.