Winter \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Moon of the New Year<\/p>\n
So, Boxing Day has arrived. \u00a0Like most Americans Boxing Day has always puzzled me. \u00a0My image of it, for a very long time, was of proper British folk picking up the mess from Christmas day. \u00a0That had something to do with boxes and it would logically happen the day after Christmas.<\/p>\n
Close? \u00a0Nope. \u00a0Not at all. \u00a0Traditionally this was a time when the quality would give gifts to their servants. \u00a0A sort of after-Christmas Christmas for those on the other side of the baize door. \u00a0In America, I learned from Wikipdedia, retailers give Boxing Day gifts to persons involved in delivery of goods. \u00a0This gift usually includes a fifth of Scotch.<\/p>\n
Wikipedia, as good a source as any on this topic, says the term may have arisen from metal boxes outside churches in early Rome, money dedicated to St. Stephen and distributed to the poor on his Saint Day, the 26th of December. \u00a0Or, more likely to me, it comes from the quality giving servants the day after Christmas off in return for their Christmas running smoothly. \u00a0Servants were often given boxes of food and gifts to take as they traveled to see their families.<\/p>\n
Whatever the rationale or tradition, it is now upon us, so… Happy Boxing Day!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Winter \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Moon of the New Year So, Boxing Day has arrived. \u00a0Like most Americans Boxing Day has always puzzled me. \u00a0My image of it, for a very long time, was of proper British folk … Continue reading Boxing Day<\/span>