Boxing Day is one tradition that did not seem to carry over from our English cousins. The day after Christmas started as a time for gifts to be given to servants, and then later employees and tradesmen, from their masters and employers. It’s become rather a bit more like Black Friday here in the States, but there still some of the original tradition surviving in many countries.
For those of us who do not celebrate Boxing Day there may be an alternative I can suggest. I think of it as Re-Boxing Day. If you’ve enjoyed a bountiful Christmas and received presents, this day after Christmas is an excellent time to make room for the new by recycling or contributing something old.
I might further suggest that if something that you’ve just received isn’t something that you need or want you have more options than exchanging the gift. You might find someone who needs or wants what you have and you can re-gift it to them.
Clear away the wrapping paper and cluttered boxes. Wash the dishes and stack the plates. And then spend some time thinking about what you might box up, cart away, and make someone else’s day a bit brighter with.
It’s a good practice throughout they year. As you get something new, don’t just put it on the shelf with everything else. Take the things that you no longer use and recycle them or find them a home with someone who might enjoy or appreciate them.
Although we may never celebrate Boxing Day, I sincerely hope that we find a way to introduce the Pantomime to American audiences. Pantos are traditionally introduced on Boxing Day.
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Randy MurrayRe-Boxing Day—A Day To Recycle/Re-Gift by Randy Murray, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
