Nuttin' But Pimp

From the desk of Matthew "Double-Decker Bus Guy" Didier...

Welcome to December 26th, otherwise known in some parts as Boxing Day which is a holiday in the U.K. and the commonwealth (and being Canadian, for us as well!)

It's a time honoured tradition of everyone donning big, padded gloves, colourful shorts, and beating the living heck out of people.

...okay, that's not true... but sometimes, I wish it was... but that's another posting!

Actually, it's origins are kind of in question...

#1: It was a traditional time for employers to give gifts or "Christmas Boxes" to employees returning from holiday.

#2: Back in the day, feudal lords would wait until after their Christmas parties and whatnot to distribute gifts to the serfs... usually "practical items" like tools and cloth... and these "boxes" were given out on the 26th.

#3: Servants, at the start of the day's work after Christmas, would give their master's a box to put coins in... sort of a "year end bonus".

#4: Churches that had "donation boxes" would open them up after Christmas masses (the day after Christmas) to distribute the collections to the poor.

#5: Way back when, it was customary in some circles to capture a wren (a type of bird) in a box... bring it into the home where he would be asked to bless the household with a good harvest and year, then released. This would be done on St. Stephen's day (the 26th).

#6: Household staff, having to work on Christmas day, would have the next day off... and would be given "leftovers" (usually overly generous) for their own festivities on that day in a box from the lord's of the manor.

When I was a young kid, I thought "Boxing Day" was about the left-over boxes that needed to be disposed of that the day before had contained Christmas gifts...

Another popular "definition" of "Boxing Day" in modern times is the retail sector "boxing up" the leftover, unsold Christmas merchandise which is then sold at a great discount during their "Boxing Day Sales".

The latter, in today's world, is probably more accurate of the "Boxing Day Traditions" that we have here in Canada... not too long ago, it was against the law for retailer to be open on a "statutory holiday" (which "Boxing Day" was,) but that was rescinded a while back... and today, throngs of "bargain hunters" make their annual pilgrimage to the shops to buy the things they wanted for Christmas, but didn't get. (No, I will not be on my way to buy a double-decker bus today!!!)

I know of SEVERAL people that "put off" gift giving until New Years so they can take advantage of great "Boxing Day" specials... and therefore, get much better gifts then they could have afforded before Christmas...

So, happy "Boxing Day" everyone... sorry to those of our neighbours South of the Border (USA) who don't have a holiday today... but if it makes you feel better, almost all retail workers in Canada are working today too.

...and those of us who work for different sectors... well, we're thinking of you as we relax, clean up, and look forward to turkey leftovers.