Peace and goodwill in 2012

I bet some of you are going back to work today with reluctance. I, on the other hand, being a teacher, am having a holiday break for about three weeks. It’s indeed gratifying to have such a benefit. But for other line of work, today is just a normal day, though not really if it’s a day after Christmas Day. Well, lucky for those who are celebrating Boxing Day because it’s still a holiday. At least here in Scandinavia and other parts of Europe celebrate this day as a non-working holiday.

I haven’t heard of Boxing Day until a student mentioned it last week. I’ve been accustomed to what it’s called in the Swedish calendar, Annanday Jul, which can be translated as Second Day Christmas. I was confused why it was called Boxing Day, I thought it had something to do with boxing, you know, fighting. Hubby couldn’t tell me either what it meant. All he knew was the 26th of December is a holiday.

Gladly, hubby showed me an article in a newspaper this morning that explained what Boxing Day was all about. I was enlightened after reading it. The word ”boxing” doesn’t mean the punching but comes from the word “box”. Hahaa! How did I miss it? I think it’s easy to associate “boxing” with fighting than with wrapping or packaging. Do you have lots of leftover from your Christmas dinner? Box them and share to the needy, then you will have Boxing Day. It’s what it’s all about. Though in the old times, it was about the rich boxing and giving leftovers and gifts to the workers or servants.

Happy Boxing Day!