Sunday, December 25, 2011

What do you know about Boxing Day?

In Australia, Boxing Day (26th Dec) is celebrated as a public holiday. Traditionally, on this day people used to box up food and other things to give to their servants and to the poor. According to another version, the Christmas Box is opened on this day to share its content with the poor. People would place gifts in a large wooden box to be given out.

Ask anyone about Boxing Day and they will tell you what a great shopping day they had. They will tell you where to get the biggest bargains. They will tell you of the shoppers' frenzy (the other people's madness, naturally) and the parking mania in the parking lot, as people try to outdo one another to be the first to snatch up bargains.

Ironically, the great tradition of alms giving has turned into the pinnacle of materialism and self gratification. Is this the way to celebrate Christmas - remembering God's gift on Christmas Day, and then start self indulgence on the very next day?

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