Advent Day Four

Hello Friends!

Today I'm continuing with a Christmas tradition that originated in Great Britain called Boxing Day.  Contrary to the pugilistic sounding name, it has nothing to do with the sport of boxing and everything to do with giving.  It is celebrated with a Bank Holiday on 26th December.  Should it fall on a weekend, then the Monday after the 26th is taken in lieu.  We don't give up our days off that easily!  Besides, a recovery day after Christmas is not a bad idea.

Boxing Day is also the Feast Day of Saint Stephen who is widely believed to be the first Christian martyred saint.  King Stephen I was stoned to death and became the first martyred Saint.  His attributes are a pile of stones on his head.  He is the patron saint of stonemasons.  We might know him more from the brief mention of him in the Christmas Carol "Good King Wenceslas" who trod out on the Feast of Stephen.

Now synonymous with saving money in the Boxing Day Sales that rival the American Black Friday for bargains for the bargain hunters and revenue for the store owners, the origins of Boxing Day are found in the tradition of giving money from Alms Boxes to the poor of the parish.  The earliest records indicate this may have been happening since before the Middle Ages through the practice of placing Alms Boxes in churches to collect money for distribution amongst the poor.  The Oxford English Dictionary states that in the mid 1700s December 26th was the day during which employers and customers of tradespeople and employees would bestow upon them a "Christmas Box" of a gift or gratuity.

Growing up in a working class family, we always valued an extra day off to spend family time together.  Boxing Day for us was an altogether more relaxed day than Christmas Day.  To begin with, we luxuriated with a rare lie in.  No need to rush to get up.  Breakfast was often followed with lounging in the front room by a roaring fire listening to music on our newly acquired record player.  I might play with my new toys, or more likely I would be reading one of my new books.  If the weather was good, Daddy and I might take the dogs for a brisk walk returning home to hot coffee spiked with a seasonal nip of whisky, or we'd have a warming glass of Bols Cherry Brandy with an omnipresent mince pie.

Despite a house full of food enough to feed a small village for a month, lunch was a simple dish of fried potato and swede cakes along side a slice of turkey or beef and a fried egg.  A dish of left over Christmas pudding and brandy sauce followed.  Then, weather permitting we would all go out together for a family walk for a few miles trying to walk off the excesses of indulgence.  If the weather was not kind, then we would simply relax in front of the fire before the sumptuous Boxing Day Tea emerged from the kitchen. There was always a salad for Boxing Day, for back then the salad vegetables we take for granted were expensive and not easy to find, especially in December.  Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and spring onions were served alongside slices of cold meat and a selection of pickles.  I always looked forward to the sandwiches, bursting with turkey, stuffing and Branston Pickle.  

Then, as if we were not already nearing bursting point, the trifle arrived at the table.  A cut glass dish that had belonged to my great grandmother glistened and gleamed filled with the jewelled colours of each layer of sherry soaked sponge cake, strawberry jelly, golden peaches, rich yellow custard topped with thick, luscious whipped cream, slivered almonds and Maraschino cherries. Yet more cream was available, pouring cream in a jug for those who needed it.  Deep sighs went out around the room, belts and waistbands loosened as we all made room for trifle.

For anyone who was still hungry, the iced fruit cake was sitting on the sideboard.

Vintage cake decorations

At some point during the day, on the news mention was made of those who had braved the weather and queued in their hundreds waiting for the Boxing Day Sales to commence so they could be first through the doors in order to bag a bargain.  For us, the rest of the day was spent lounging in front of the television, playing board games, and trying very hard not to go to sleep before bed time!

Until tomorrow . . .