SC - Re: Boxing Day Recipes

[Christine A Seelye-King]

Hope I'm not too late for getting my 2 cent's worth in.  I was thinking
of St. Sylvester, I suppose, who's Saint's day is on Dec. 31st, as
opposed to St. Stephan, who shares Dec. 26th with Boxing Day.  Here is
the entries from my book, "366 Days of Celebrations, or, A Year Full of
Reasons to Throw A Party", by Christine Seelye-King

DEC 26
Birthday of Horus - Ancient Egypt - The Falcon Sky God who became a Deity
of the Sun and the King, and was later identified as the son of Osiris
and Hathor.  
St. Stephen's Feast Day (36) Patron Saint of Bricklayers, Builders,
Horses, and Masons. The first martyr of the Catholic faith, he was stoned
to death with bricks and rocks. St. Paul watched, and this caused his
conversion. In Poland, parishioners shower the priest after Mass with
oats for the sake of their horses.
Annen Juledag - Second Christmas Day - Norway - Traditional hospitality
demands that passers-by, strangers or friends, stop at every farm along
the road and partake of food and drink.  
Columbus Founds First Spanish Settlement in the New World (1492)
Wren Day - Ireland - The Wren is the "King of all Birds" due to a
legendary race amongst all the  birds. The wren hid in the Eagle's crest,
and flew out at the end to win the race.  Another legend has it that the
wren betrayed its country on the eve of a battle with the Danes.  Before
a skirmish attack, the wren hopped on a Danish war drum and alerted the
enemy.  Young men kill several wrens and carry them around town on St.
Stephen's Day, singing a tune and begging for treats or money.  
Boxing Day* - England - (or the first weekday after Christmas) This
holiday has two different origins.  One is that the alms boxes in
churches were opened on this day to pay for gifts for the poor.  The
other is that apprentices carried pottery boxes around to be filled by
kind householders.  The boxes were then broken open to pay for a feast
for the workers.  Traditionally the day to give employees a "Christmas
Box"- a payment or gift- it became the day to honor all civil servants,
delivery people, and service personnel.
Kwanzaa*(20th Cent) - African-American - 7 day harvest-time festival
celebrating the heritage, history, and culture of African Americans.  One
principle is focused on each day, UMOGA - Unity,  KUUMBA - Creativity,
IMANI - Faith, UJIMA - Collective Works / Responsibility, UJAMAA -
Cooperative Economics,  KUJICHAGULIA - Self-Determination, and NIA -
Purpose.  A 7-pronged menorah is lit, one more candle on each day. 
Dec. 31st
St. Sylvester's Feast Day (335) 34th Pope. He cured the Emperor
Constantine of leprosy and baptized him, and in turn, the Emperor made
Christianity the state religion of the Roman empire. According to one
legend, if an east wind occurs on St. Sylvester's night, it betokens a
calamitous twelve months to come. St. Sylvester's Carp is a special dish
served at the best restaurants in Germany.  Served with St. Sylvester's
Punch, made of red wine with cinnamon, sweetened and heated.  A few of
the carp's scales are wrapped up in a napkin and taken home as a charm
for the New Year.  

On Thu, 30 Nov 2000 09:49:44 EST RuddR at aol.com writes:
> Greetings,
> 
> Thanks to all who sent me Boxing day information.  It will be passed 
> on to 
> the young scholar.
> 
> Rudd rayfield

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