Boxing Day
Most Americans have no idea what Boxing Day is or when it’s celebrated.
When I was told it was a holiday celebrated the day after Christmas in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, I figured it must be the day family members settled longstanding grievances that inevitably surface during holiday get-togethers.
Not so, it turns out.
The holiday’s roots can be traced to Britain, where it is also known as St. Stephen’s Day.
Reduced to its simplest, Boxing Day began as the day the rich gave cash or other gifts to the lower classes.
Gifts among equals were exchanged on Christmas Day; gifts to the poor and those of a lower social class are given on the next day.
In practice, Boxing Day has become another public holiday that sets up a long weekend. In Australia, think of it as a sort of antipodean Fourth of July (without the fireworks).
It’s also the start of the Sydney to Hobart Race, one of the top offshore yacht races in the world. More than 500,000 people found vantage points along the Sydney harbor foreshore to watch the start of the race.
One hundred boats started the race and thousands more filled the harbor, providing the racers an escort just beyond the north and south heads.
The prohibitive favorite this year is the Australian yacht Wild Oats XI. But the most interesting entrant is Pachamama, the first Swiss boat to enter the race.
Photo from Top to Top Expedition
Pachamama is sailing as part of the Top to Top Expedition, “the first expedition using only nature’s force to cross the seven seas and reach the summit of the higher mountain on each continent.”
According to expedition leader Dario Schwörer, the boat is an example for the cruising world, showing what is possible with renewable technologies only.
Top to Top Expedition’s primary goal is to help focus the world on the issue of climate protection.
The team, including Dario, his wife Sabine, children Salina and Andri — and the improbably named Peter Storm — plan to cross all seven seas and summit the highest peak on all seven continents to bring attention to the issue.
As part of the expedition, Pachamama is sailing under the patronage of the United Nations Environment Program.
Back at Watson’s Bay, near the south head of Sydney harbor, the official start of the summer holiday season was foremost on people’s minds.
And Boxing Day was as good as excuse as any to get outside and enjoy a day at the beach.
5 comments
Just stopping in to say hello, Happy Holidays and wish you all a wonderful New Year! Looks like you are having a fabulous time, just as I knew you would. 😉 Beautiful photos!
We are enjoying the sunshine here in our 15th century village in Spain too…great way to do winter, eh? As we continue into our 3rd year of our open ended world tour and 3rd winter here, we have nothing but gratitude for this experience. I’m up early here reflecting on that and reading about your experiences makes me smile.
Don’t you wish every family could experience it? I know I do. It does seem to be a trend that is growing, perhaps even more in these economic times. The longer we travel, the less we feel like ever stopping. Funny, how extended world travel changes everything …kind of like having a child.
Alas, even with slow travel, there is so much to see in this world. We have decided to add another year onto Europe, but also look forward to the time we will explore Oz. We meet so many of them here as they love to travel.
Hope our paths will cross. Keep in touch! Continue to enjoy and share!
Merry Christmas and Happy Boxing Day: Here in Canada some people will line up at a store at 5:30 am or earlier Boxing Day to be first to get at the bargains. After travelling for a year I think that you realize that you don’t really NEED all of that consumer stuff. It sounds like the Aussies have it figured out … get outside and have fun. Not as easy here in Ottawa where it is -14 Degrees C. … though the snow looks pretty good for skiing. Take care. We are having fun following your adventures.
From the McBrides (… the “Snowfree” world travellers of Ottawa … now home)
Happy Boxing Day from Washington, DC. Your blog makes this armchair traveler want to hit the road and find where it takes me. Enjoy Australia – one of my favorite places to visit.
Hope you all had a wonderful holiday! We are looking forward to meeting up in Japan too!
That’s right…..Boxing Day is not the “day family members settled longstanding grievances that inevitably surface during holiday get-togethers”, or other year-round run-ins.
That celebration is called Festivus: The Holiday for the Rest of Us, made official by Frank Costanza.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQFLqMyo0fo
Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! Miss you!
Linda