Boxing Day Party

Last night Judy, Craig and Bobbie hosted a Boxing Day pot-luck for a jolly group of friends! Evidently a family tradition for Judy and Craig, they included us this year for their celebration.

Although I know about Boxing Day in "olde England" I had never been to a Boxing Day celebration.

Boxing Day is a traditional holiday in England, Canada and a few other countries. Stemming from Victorian England, when the servants did not have a day off for Christmas because they were serving their masters, the servants got the day after Christmas as a holiday to spend with their families.

The servants and poor people would take a box and go to the stores in the neighborhood and the owners would put a few coins into the box. (Perhaps the Christmas "bonus" that many people receive now began in this way.) Often the families would put small gifts, food or clothing into the box for their servants' families.

Also, since December 26th is the saint's day for St. Stephen, the churches would open their alms boxes and distribute the alms to the poor on Boxing Day.

Boxing Day is still celebrated as a day, more relaxed than Christmas Day, for families and friends to get together. Modern day life has also accepted "shopping" as a part of Boxing Day!


In England, "crackers" are used at Christmastime for fun. A "cracker" is a small cardboard tube filled with a small toy, a joke and a paper hat. Upon pulling both ends of the wrapping, a sharp "crack" sounds and the gifts tumble out. Everyone shares the jokes, shows off their toy, and wears the paper hats! Great fun is had by all!

Judy pulled her cracker and can't find the gifts! Where are they? Bobbie watches in anticipation to see the hat.

Aha! Success! And what a cute hat she wears!

Judy cooks as Heather, in her special Boxing Day hat, watches. Isn't that a great hat?!!

Some of the more sedate members of the party! Later, they got their crackers and wore their hats too.

Everyone brought a dish and the food was scrumptious! Although I won't tell you the whole menu, the desserts were extra special! Bobbie made Trifle, a typical English dessert, and a Buche de Noel, the French Yule log cake. Troy brought his Carrot cake and the dessert plates just weren't big enough! I had to go back for seconds!

It was a fun evening and especially nice for me to get to visit with friends I had not seen for 5 months! Thanks, Judy, Craig and Bobbie for a good idea!

Hasta luego.