DECEMBER 26

December 26th 2017

I am rested. 
I am in a better frame of mind.

I woke up and decided to check in
with my LDO ladies.
Mom was coming for dinner
and I wanted to make sure
no one was sitting alone.

Glad I did and found a few peeps
who popped over.

I roasted a chicken with stuffing,
cranberries, ham, apple sauce, candied carrots,
whipped potatoes, mashed turnip, gravy,
buns, peas, cream corn, brussel sprouts
and we started with Caesar salad.

Before we sat down, 
the kitchen was already clean
and the cooked ground beef in the casserole dish,
ready for the leftovers.

Dinner was delicious and the company
was lovely and enjoyed (I think)
the very large selection of foods.
Everyone was happily sated
and the clean up simple and fast.

I set out the desserts 
and made some coffee,
while John said good night
as he has to work tonight (11pm).

We were joined by a couple other
single celebrators for desserts.

Lots of laughs and fun
until the late evening.
What a great impromptu party.


I always assumed "boxing day" referred to the day the stores sold off the leftovers rather than "box" it up or for many, the day the décor got "boxed up" for another year.

Many countries celebrate Boxing Day on Dec. 26, those outside of these countries may be unaware as to the meaning behind the holiday and how its traditions originated.

Boxing Day is celebrated by those in countries that were once part of the British empire, which includes Canada. As a federal holiday, post offices and banks are closed, and schools also are closed as part of winter vacations. Despite being a federal holiday, Boxing Day is not observed in the same way in all provinces and territories.

Depending on the area, stores may be open or closed. Some people use the opportunity to take part in post-Christmas sales or make returns. Many stores run Boxing Week sales the full week through New Year's Day. Some shoppers have been known to camp outside of stores to take advantage of these price cuts, much in the way Americans might wait in the wee hours of the morning for Black Friday deals.

The etymology of the name Boxing Day is unclear, but some historians surmise that it is tied to the European tradition of giving gifts to the needy and those in service positions, as was the case during the Middle Ages. 

In the United Kingdom, it also became tradition that the day after Christmas employers would gift their servants with boxes of food leftovers from the holidays or present monetary gifts. The servants were allowed to take the day off to spend it with their families after having worked Christmas. 

Other ideas tie the tradition to the Feast of Saint Stephen, which also takes place on Dec. 26. Metal boxes, into which people could put donations for the needy, were left outside of churches.

There are other ways people can create their own Boxing Day traditions. 

Here are a few ideas:

• Collect food or clothing donations from neighbours and deliver them to a shelter or soup kitchen.
• Volunteer to help at a hospital, animal shelter or school when it reopens.
• Encourage children to invite their friends over and curl up with a good movie and some popcorn.
• If you are a business owner, call employees and personally thank them for their time of service.
• Have a fun, family game night.
• Decorate the house with boxes of all shapes and sizes.
• Gather holiday gift boxes and prepare them for the recycling bin.
• Make a charitable donation to your preferred organization.

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Good night from John Street