Boxing Day

Yesterday, December 26th was Boxing Day, and a close friend originally from Manchester, U.K. who now calls Boston her home, hosted an intimate dinner party in honor of the holiday. Boxing Day is a 'bank holiday' in the U.K. and is widely celebrated in many Commonwealth Nations (e.g. Canada, Australia, etc...)
I'm not sure when Boxing Day became an official banking holiday but my friend told me that it was traditionally observed by the wealthy in England to provide gifts to the less fortunate.

However, now most people celebrate with friends or shop for post-holiday sales. My friend used the occassion this year to host a fun dinner party complete with a competitive game of Twister. The fact that our bellies were full and more empty bottles of wine than I'm willing to admit were strewn through out her apartment meant the game only lasted two or three spins before someone would fall and knock everyone over. I vaguely remember falling but have a very sore spot on my knee to remind me should I forget that part of the evening. I'm hoping that this dinner party becomes a holiday tradition my friend wants to repeat. It was a wonderful introduction to the holiday and a great way to celebrate Boxing Day.