Ask most Americans what Boxing Day is, and you usually get a blank response about some Canadian oddity of little importance. But Boxing Day is something more. In fact, it is not Canadian; it is British (and thus celebrated in Canadian and other former British colonies). Boxing Day has nothing to do with boxing either. It probably grew out of traditions where churches collected presents and alms for the poor in boxes which were opened on the day after Christmas, or alternatively, masters provided gifts to their servants in boxes for a year's worth of work. Today, this latter tradition of giving gifts to servicemen remains relevant. Thus, on December 26, I usually leave a tip for the mailman and the sanitation worker in recognition of their work for the past year. After all, such selfless service should be recognized.
Another aspect of Boxing Day is the program of soccer matches played across Britain. Every year, the Premier League schedules a full round of matches, often between local rivals, which adds to the occasion. Today, I watched the Aston Villa-Tottenham match, which was a great game of attacking football (well, until the ref gave a stupid red card to a Spurs player). The fan atmosphere at the game and the others is incredible; one can feel it on TV. I think Boxing Day is one of the best sporting days of the year, on par with Independence Day for baseball and Thanksgiving Day for football. What do you think?
Currently listening: Five for Fighting; what is the best song - 100 Years, Superman, The Riddle?
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