How To Celebrate Boxing Day

Boxing Day might bring to mind something totally different than an activity the day after Christmas -- but, in England, there truly is a Boxing Day, sometimes even Boxing Week. In England, a tradition of packaging up leftover food the day after Christmas, and then given to the less fortunate, has been a noble and worthy activity dating back to the mid-1800's. Hence the term "boxing", as they gathered leftover meats, vegetables, fruit, and pastries and used boxes for transporting these items.

In this country, we are truly blessed with resources and the capability to help ourselves and others. So, if you do have an extra box laying around the day after Christmas, and some leftover turkey or ham with all the fixings, maybe you can start your own Boxing Day by delivering this to a neighbor, a friend in need, a shelter, a church, or any other place you can think of. Do a little planning ahead, though, to make sure you will find someone there to deliver it to and that it won't go to waste.

But then, we can also have fun with Boxing Day and create new and wonderful traditions. One of the best ways is to invite friends over that day. You've probably spent all of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with family, so remember your friends and plan a dinner party.

1. Bring a leftover dish. Make it easy on everyone by asking each person to bring a leftover from their Christmas Day dinner. The interesting part of the meal will be what each person brings.
2. Request champagne from your friends. When they come for dinner, tell everyone they need to bring the CHEAPEST bottle of champagne they can find to toast the new upcoming year.
3. White elephant. No doubt, there were some gifts given on Christmas Day that might end up at the back of the closet. Ask each person to bring a wrapped "white elephant" gift.

Now everyone and everything is gathered. Party on --

1. Eat the leftovers.
2. Drink the champagne. Go around the table and ask each person to make a toast or a New Year's resolution. You determine whether it should be funky, silly, or serious.
3. Open presents. Write each person's name on a piece of paper and toss these in a cap or bowl. Draw out the first name. That person picks out and opens up one present. Draw out the second name. That person can choose to either take the first present or pick out an unwrapped one. With each name drawn, that person can choose any of the opened presents or pick out an unwrapped one. Do this until all presents are opened. Go back to the first person since he or she was the only one not allowed to choose. That person now becomes the luckiest by having the choice to keep his or her gift or exchange with one of the other guests.

Enjoy the holidays!

Additional Holiday Tips: Christmas trees are getting more expensive, so make an investment in high-quality artificial Christmas trees instead. Artificial trees are now incredibly lifelike and come prelit, so all you'll give up is a sticky sap and fallen needles!