Sunday, December 26, 2010

Christ-Mass: Day 2 (Boxing Day)

“On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, two turtle doves ...”

I love to show this video of the á capella group Straight No Chaser singing their own unique version of "The Twelve Days of Christmas." Today still feels a little like Christmas, only more stores are open, bustling with the rise in consumer spending after two lean years. Those nice ladies I met who were working at Macy's on Christmas Eve are sure to do well this year, and that just warms my heart. I know, some people may think that's a concession to the over-commercialization of the holiday, but hey, we're talking about Macy's here!

Today is "Boxing Day" in Canada, the UK, and other nations of the Commonwealth. Traditionally, on Christmas itself, the master of the house would give presents to his family. On the following day, he would arrange for leftovers from his great feast to be given to his domestic staff in boxes that they could take home. Eventually, it became customary to box other gifts as well. In any case, they get another day off. So, here's a shout to our friendly neighbors to the north, with a very helpful explanation of the feast, courtesy of a garage band from Fairfax, Virginia (well, it kinda looks like they're in a garage, or maybe their parents' basement, whatever...) known as the "Holiday Hipsters" (available on Facebook or MySpace) singing "Carol of the Boxing Day."

Meanwhile, the Irish celebrate this as a national holiday, too, only as Saint Stephen's Day.
 

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