REVIVING THE YEAR
A Boxing Day Resurrection
In Britain, after Christmas Day comes Boxing Day – nothing to do with pugilism, but a lot to do with giving a gratuity to your staff and other serving folk. ‘A Christmas Box’ or tip arose from the pre-Reformation alms-box tradition, where richer people gave alms or money to those who were poorer. Nowadays, it is the secular day for country-wide sports’ fixtures, and of getting out for a bit of exercise after the excesses of the day before. But, in this house, we make our way to the Quarry area of Headington where we come to view the Headington Quarry Morris men perform their Mumming Play.
Since we have new neighbours, we offered to induct them and their family into this annual custom, so we went in convoy, taking with us a friend who normally lives in the south west, but who was passing my door to drop off a gift and card – fortunately she spotted us before we set off, and so we invited her and her dog too.
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