BOXING DAY
England has had a “boxing day”for more than eight hundred years, I'm told, and I think we need one.
Everywhere the tradition still holds firm it has, through misuse and application without self-defacement mindset. Boxing Day is that one day of the year – traditionally the day after Christmas Day – which has been set apart for all of us to give expression through the concept of providing for those persons who did not enjoy the “Merry Christmas” you enjoyed.
The observance occurs in many forms, I'm told. Some keep it close to home hearth by simply wrapping our old shoes and other wear replaced with new ones and deliver them to the poor and needy people. Americans do pretty mush the same thing when we clothing items at the Salvation Army' or Good wills collection points around he city. The items are then channeled to those in need.
It is said that Boxing Day was, at one time, more closely connected to individual family group. One system placed empty cartons in the rear of each eating area used by the family during the holiday and members dropped in such gifts as they had which were then divided among the servants. All those servants who had worked so long and so long might have a worthy reward for their trouble and a holds a sort of holiday time of their own. One might out a point out a parallel in American industry whereby firms give their workers Christmas bonus gifts such a frozen turkey, a ham, candies, fruits, fruitcakes, whisking,wines and seafoods but this practice has grown less evident as economic condition worsened and our industrial locations have lost family status with workers off shore.
A.L.M. December 26, 2005 [c303wds]
