[email protected]

In a message dated 9/28/00 7:57:46 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
[email protected] writes:

<< I was once told it is the day the *boxes* get thrown out from the
Christmas presents!........ I too would be interested in the real
meaning. >>

Marianne, my parents were married on boxing day, and the meaning i learned
growing up was the same--- collecting and sorting the boxes opened the say
before.

cath

[email protected]

In a message dated 9/28/00 7:57:46 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
[email protected] writes:

<< We ran into that a lot. In order to correct the 'problem', I started
making
a point of telling DS a subject we covered when he'd ask a question/find an
answer. We'd explore something, go for a walk, make cookies, whatever and
I'd say, gee, we can count that as our PE/math/science/language arts/ what
ever for today. He'd stop and smile and acknowledge the coolness of the
whole process and go about his business. Now DS, age 12, can rattle off the
'subjects' we've been pursuing with the best of them.
>>

Thank you, this is very helpful (and it wasn't even me who asked for advice),
but this makes really good sense---raising awareness of the process with
one's children. And then we keep notes on what they're learning and doing for
our own sanity!

cath
montreal
DS age 3

[email protected]

In a message dated 9/28/00 7:57:46 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
[email protected] writes:

<< Boxing Day, popular term applied to December 26 in England, Wales, parts
of Canada, and in some other countries of the Commonwealth of Nations.
Traditionally, on that day the gentry would give presents, generally of
money, to servants, tradespeople, and others of humble life. These presents
came to be known as Christmas boxes. Boxing Day is a legal bank holiday. >>

Thanks valerie! Is that from a favourite reference book you have, or from
the net?

cath
montreal

Susan Halpern

Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] Digest Number 812 Actually boxing day refers to the day after Christmas when the alms boxes (the place in a church where charitable donations of money were made) were opened and distributed to the poor. The landed gentry who oversaw the area (and usually had the church on their land) would be present for the ceremony. This developed into a holiday in which the lord and lady of the manor would hand out presents to the servants.

Sue H.
Who has a mind for trivia but can never remember where her car keys are.

Oh, just checked . . .
This from the World Book Encyclopedia:
Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated in Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. It falls on December 26, which is also St. Stephen's Day. The public observance of Boxing Day takes place on the following Monday if December 26 falls on a Saturday or Sunday. The traditional celebration of Boxing Day included giving money and other gifts to charitable institutions, needy individuals, and people in service jobs. The holiday may date from the Middle Ages (A.D. 400's--1500's), but the exact origin is unknown. It may have begun with the lords and ladies of England, who presented Christmas gifts in boxes to their servants on December 26. Or it may have begun with priests, who opened the church's alms (charity) boxes on the day after Christmas and distributed the contents to the poor.