Today is the second day of Christmas, Boxing Day.
No, not a day for getting the boxing gloves out and holding a round of fisty-cuffs. Although, the other year, I did get my son a punch bag so that he could use it instead of his brother.....
Boxing Day was the day when servants received gifts from their masters or employers (wish my employer had given me a nice Christmas box - with stuff in it). It was a Christmas Box. This box has many origins, and was mentioned in Samuel Pepys diary in 1663.
In England, it is linked to a tradition that the day after Christmas was given as a holiday for servants to visit their families (they had to work on Christmas Day, just like me, but I didn't get Boxing Day off). They would be given a box of gifts, a bonus and even left over food to take with them.
Boxing Day was also a time for giving alms to the poor and churches would leave a collection box for parishioners to donate money.
Boxing Day is also the religious festival of St Stephen - remember old Good King Wenceslas? Yes, a reference to Boxing Day, the Feast of St Stephen and giving alms to the poor and needy. However, Wenceslas was not a King, he was a Duke who spread Christianity, not alms and was murdered by his brother.
That aside, Boxing Day is definitely a day for saying thanks for what we have received and have and giving to those who are less fortunate.
I would like to remember and am looking for a way to donate to the refugees from Syria who are cold and homeless in Lebanon (yes they are in Jordan too, but we must remember the rest of them).
And while we are at it. Here is:
THE SECOND VEG OF CHRISTMAS
The second veg of Christmas my true love sent to me,
Two turnip soups.
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