Today is the second day of Christmas, also the Feast of Saint Stephen and Boxing Day in Great Britain. The roots of the holiday go back to the Middle Ages. On this day, members of the merchant class would take boxes, fill them with food and fruits, and give them to servants, tradespeople and the less fortunate. Servants traditionally got the day off, because they had to work yesterday.
One of my favorite Christmas carols, Good King Wencelas, tells the story of a Bohemian king who braves the winter weather to bring food and and firewood to a poor peasant om Saint Stephens Day.
Although Christmas feels over now in most homes (except for the mess) today is just the beginning of Twelvetide, the festive Christian season celebrating the Nativity of Jesus Christ. It ends on Twelfth Night, a big time of celebration. After all the build up, it's a shame Christmas is just a one day event in America. In the old days, the holiday party was just getting started.
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