Boxing Day

Except for the United States, Boxing Day is observed in countries with ties to the old British Empire (a term that makes current Brits shudder). Here is what might be found on Boxing Day: Huge shopping discounts in the stores, a shopping day akin to the day after Thanksgiving in the United States, now called Black Friday A public holiday with no banking or postal services. If Christmas falls on a Friday as this year, the next Monday may be a public holiday. That is true in NZ this year. A day for family sports and parlour games Local professional sports contests Horse racing Cold cuts or Christmas leftovers spread in a buffet What are the origins of Boxing Day? There are several theories: While not really known, the origin may have started in Roman times as the Feast of St. Stephen, still observed on 26 December, designated as a time to donate goods and money to the poor Gifts of money were also given to family servants, who were given the day off. The family then had a cold spread to eat that day (a box lunch?), prepared in advance by the servants In Victorian England, it was a day for tradesmen to collect their "gift boxes" from patrons in return for good service Nevertheless, the etymology of the term Boxing Day is unknown, according to Wikipedia, my sole resource for this information On Boxing Day, the Kiwi Consort and I visited our former neighbors on Exmouth Street, noted the only store open in our little Windsor shopping area was the New World grocery, bought a can opener at The Warehouse which was doing a brisk business, and went to see the movie, Avatar at the Reading Theatre. We ate leftovers. Cheers, Kiwi Traveler