What's It Wednesday #54
We've all
seen it on the calendar with the little guy in boxing gloves and
trunks, but what is it really?
For me, it's
a chance to share some of the many boxes that I love to collect, but
I thought I'd find out and share the real meaning as well.
Boxing Day
has been a national holiday in England, Wales, Ireland and Canada
since 1871. But there are two schools of thought as to the origin.
It might have
been started by the Church of England, when Anglican parishes
displayed a box into which churchgoers put their monetary donations.
On
the day after Christmas, the boxes were broken open and their
contents distributed among the poor.
It was also
customary for tradesmen to collect “Christmas boxes” of money or
presents on the first weekday after Christmas as thank you for good
service throughout the year. This is an outgrowth to an older English
tradition:
Since they
would have to wait on their masters on Christmas Day, the servants of
the wealthy were allowed the next day off to visit with family. The
employers would give each servant a box to take home containing gifts
and bonuses, and sometimes leftover food.
Since it is a
banking holiday for everyone, the gentry took this day for the
pleasure of hunting, riding or various sporting events.
Now, Boxing
Day is much like black Friday here in the U.S. It is the U. K.'s
biggest shopping day, earning the greatest amount of revenue for the
year.
Boxing Day
has evolved from a charitable day to an extension of Christmas. It's
a fabulous day to enjoy those great presents, polish off the
leftovers and lounge around in bright sweaters watching sporting
events. Why haven't we Americans adopted it yet? Sounds like
something we can get behind, right?
Hope you
enjoyed the boxes.
Happy Boxing Day!
Hugs,
Patti
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It Wednesday” Linky Party!
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Savvy Southern Style
No Minimalist Here
The Brambleberry Cottage
Coloradolady
The Shabby Creek Cottage
The ArtsyGirl Connection
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At the Picket Fence
A Glimpse Inside
The Charm of Home
Common Ground
From My Front Porch to Yours
Faded Charm
Craftberry Bush
My Romantic Home
Come show off your whatchamacallits, what is its, what it once was, and "hey, look what I just did" posts. In other words, what you created, organized, designed or re-designed, found, purchased, transformed, inherited, re-purposed, renovated, are selling, or giving-away.
Savvy Southern Style
No Minimalist Here
The Brambleberry Cottage
Coloradolady
The Shabby Creek Cottage
The ArtsyGirl Connection
French Country Cottage
At the Picket Fence
A Glimpse Inside
The Charm of Home
Common Ground
From My Front Porch to Yours
Faded Charm
Craftberry Bush
My Romantic Home
Come show off your whatchamacallits, what is its, what it once was, and "hey, look what I just did" posts. In other words, what you created, organized, designed or re-designed, found, purchased, transformed, inherited, re-purposed, renovated, are selling, or giving-away.
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