What is Boxing Day? Australia is celebrating that today. Dec. 26th.

image from Myclsm.com 

Good morning.  It is foggy here this morning.  Temperature at 8:20 AM is at 31F    ( -0.5C) high today of 38F ( 3C). slight chance of rain shower.  Tomorrow Friday 100 % chance of rain but the temperature will be in the 40’s ( 4-5C). So, no snow, ice till it might freeze after sunset.  Australia weather today 72F (22C). Wind gusts are up to 26 MPH.  Looks like enjoyable weather for them to be outside and at the beach.  For all stay safe, some stay warm, and others stay cool. 

I have been writing to one of Evelyn’s friend’s aunt from Australia.  She is 90 years old and just amazing.  She wrote to me she was going to be at Loch Sport for Christmas Day and back on Boxing Day with more family. Loch Sport is a community on the water about 20 miles from Evelyn.  We went there for lunch with Evelyn’s friends where we met this aunt.    That lead me to think what is Boxing Day, and what came up on Old Farmer’s Almanac but this article about Boxing Day.  I found it very interesting, and I hope you do too.  Because of the time difference they have had Boxing Day already but for us it would be now Dec. 26th.  Enjoy and it is so much fun to learn about the world and what their customs are. 
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Boxing Day is celebrated on December 26! This year, that’s a Thursday. Why is it called Boxing Day? And what, if anything, does boxing have to do with it? Boxing Day, like a box, has many points of interest.
When Is Boxing Day?
Boxing Day occurs annually on December 26 (the day after Christmas). In 2024, Boxing Day falls on Thursday, December 26.
This public holiday is celebrated in Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and other Commonwealth countries. Most offices are closed on this day if it is a weekday.
What Is Boxing Day?
Boxing Day is a centuries-old gift-giving day that originated in Britain. Yes, boxes are a big part of Boxing Day traditions!
During the Victorian Era (1837–1901, the period of Queen Victoria’s reign), the upper class would box up leftover food, money, or goods and give them to their tradesmen as well as their servants for reliable service all year.
One of the earliest records of these box gifts dates from 1663. In an entry in his diary, English parliamentarian Samuel Pepys writes that he sent a coach and messenger to his shoemaker to deliver “something to the boys’ box against Christmas” in addition to funds to cover his bill.
The custom arose because servants, who would have to wait on their masters on Christmas Day, had the next day off. They were given gifts from their masters and would go home to visit their families.
In the church, the money in the Alms (charity) boxes was given to the poor. The church parishioners deposited donations into a box the clergyman put out for that purpose and handed it out at Christmas.
St. Stephen’s Day
Boxing Day is also known as St. Stephen’s Day. He was known for helping the poor, and he was the first Christian martyr.
Ever heard the Christmas song, “Good King Wenceslas”? Its first line describes the king’s activities on St. Stephen’s day: “Good King Wenceslas looked out, on the feast of Stephen.”
Written by John Mason Neale and first published in 1853, the lyrics celebrate the spirit of Boxing Day—generosity—as it describes King Wenceslas watching a poor man “gath’ring winter fuel.” The king then brings the peasant food and logs for his fire.
How Is Boxing Day Celebrated Today?
Today, Boxing Day is a day off in England and Canada, and just a day to relax after the festivities of Christmas.
There’s no feast. It’s all about the leftovers! Think turkey sandwiches. 
Sporting events have taken place on Boxing Day for centuries. Today’s more popular Boxing Day sporting activities include watching horse races and football matches against local rivals.
Charity and giving to the poor are still a big part of Boxing Day. Some folks participate in charity runs. The Boxing Day Dip is another charity event where people in fancy dress swim in the sea on Boxing Day. Can you imagine swimming in the frigid English Channel?
Boxing Day Trivia & Lore
On this day in 1776, George Washington crossed the ice-clogged Delaware River at dawn to attack Hessian forces in Trenton, New Jersey.
On this day in 1963, two songs by The Beatles—”I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “I Saw Her Standing There”—were released in the United States.
Weather lore says, “If the wind blows much on St. Stephen’s Day [December 26], the grape will be bad in the next year.”
Taken from https://www.almanac.com/boxing-day
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky’s Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa [email protected]  641-794-3337  cell 641-903-9365