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Community Corner

Boxing Day Still Brightens Local Brits

You Saw It On Your Calendar; Far Cry From Cardboard Type

For some folks, there is an immediacy to put away Christmas as soon as the calendar says December 26 but for those locals who are from England or from Canadian heritage, it’s not quite time--one might notice the fine italicized print at the bottom of the calendar, “Boxing Day.”

Since most of us are hauling boxes out to our recycling toters after yesterday’s Christmas celebrations, one might easily think this has something to do with cardboard boxes or maybe even ‘putting on the gloves’ after a bout with difficult relatives—but it’s neither.

Boxing Day has been a national holiday in England, Wales, Ireland and Canada since 1871.

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“I don’t rush to put anything away because it’s Boxing Day,” said local resident Maureen Shiroma who was born and raised in England and who moved to the United States in 1964. “I usually wait till the 12th day [after Christmas.] I figure if we are going to put the ornaments out, I want to time to enjoy them.”  Shiroma, whose mother shared a large family, explained that when she first came here, she didn’t understand why people didn’t recognize ‘Boxing Day.’

“It is a British tradition,” she said. “It’s really a day that is recognized by Canadians and the British and isn’t much fancier than America’s day after Thanksgiving—including hanging out by the television or shopping holiday sales.”

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There are different theories about how this special day got started but here are a few. One is the expression of a Christmas box (gift) or a bonus. For example, long ago, it might be like the day that your boss would give you a bonus or if you were wealthy you would give your servant a gift.

Another theory is that during Advent, Anglican parishes traditionally opened the ‘Poor Box’ at the back of the church and the alms got distributed to the less fortunate—hence our American tradition of collecting canned goods or foods to fill up the food pantries for the needy domes during the Christmas season.

According to one holiday history website, origins can be found in the song "Good King Wenceslas." In the Christmas carol, Wenceslas, who was Duke of Bohemia in the early 10th century, was surveying his land on St. Stephen's Day, December 26, when he saw a poor man gathering wood in the middle of a snowstorm. Moved, the King gathered up surplus food and wine and carried them through the blizzard to the peasant's door.

Dixonite Peter Morris, who also grew up in England and who moved here after adulthood, said that the day “was always just part of the routine for this time of the year.” But, that Christmas Eve was not celebrated the way it is here.       

“Gifts would not be given in Britain," he said. "The custom for Christmas Day was to go to church in the morning, then Christmas dinner would be the lunch (or dinner) and then the gifts would be opened in the evening. The day after would just be sitting around--simply a continuation of Christmas Day and really nothing happened.”

So while the day after Christmas is a signal for those who want to put things away and be done, for others, it is another day to continue the spirit of the Holy Season.

“Christmas isn't over till Epiphany,” said Vacaville resident Kent Leslie. “There are ten days still. It's only secular Christmas that's over.”

According to former Dixon Mayor Mary Ann Courville, they don't take down Christmas decorations yet either but for different reasons.

"We always wait until the Wise Men show up..." she said.

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