Happy Boxing Day

We just returned from a fantastic ski vacaton in Austria, with photos to come, but I wanted to show you a few scenes around Christmas in Munich first. Although Christmas is now over, much of the local spirit (and scenery) is still around. Most stores were closed today, which meant that it was a four day holiday, and consequently I can tell you the supermarket at the airport was a zoo. But back to the subject of this post. Germany does not really celebrate Boxing Day, which is celebrated in most commonwealth states. It is traditionally celebrated on the 26th of December, and because there doesn't seem to be a consistent story on how it originated, I'll give you my own theory and experience. It originated in England, and was created because all the servants had to work on Christmas day. But on the 26th, they were often given a break; so they would collect all the beautiful boxes used by the royal familes and use them to repackage their own gifts. As it plays out today, I think of Christmas is for spending time with family, and Boxing Day is for the people you really want to be around. So it plays out in a super-festive celebration, with poppers, everyone bringing gifts for everyone, and enough spirits to keep the party going until dawn. So for all the Germans who don't recognize Boxing Day, perhaps it's time to start.