Mike
Tomorrow is a holiday for me, whereas you folks in the States are going back to work. That’s because we have Boxing Day here in the UK, one of the most welcomed surprises awaiting me when I made this place my home.
I don’t know about you, but even while I was living in the States, with no knowledge of British culture, I always thought going to work on December 26th after enjoying the excesses of Christmas was just a bit much. So Boxing Day remains, to me, one of the best things about Britain.
What about you in the US of A? Would you welcome something like Boxing Day?
I’d like to write more about this but, hey, I’m on holiday.
Toni
Toni regrets she is unable to attend this week’s Pond Parley discussion. She is ill.
MHMail55-MT AT Yahoo.com
or just pop it into the comment box.
As a newcomer to the UK, I was pleasantly surprised and welcomed this day. We got completely in the spirit and went to see our local football team play (and win) a home game. What I do not care for (about holidays in general) in the UK is that nearly EVERYTHING is shut down. Including the buses. So taxis charge 1 1/2-2 times the regular rate. It's highway robbery, I tell you! Every job I've had in the US required me to work on the day after Christmas, and since I had to travel to see family, I always had to cut my festivities short. I will definitely miss not having a Boxing Day next year in the US.
ReplyDeleteI always take the day off because as a Brit living in the USA I can't fathom not being off on the 26th.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I could live without Boxing Day anymore, either, now that I know it's an option.
ReplyDeleteBoxing Day is great. Not least because no-one really knows why it's called Boxing Day. A national mystery.
ReplyDelete(Rising from my sick bed), When I was at the emergency clinic the other day, two of the nurses were asking each other about Boxing Day. I knew I mustn't be feeling great because I couldn't be bothered to get up and tell them. I did however, sell a book or two to the doctor who treated me. He came out with an English expression which wasn't quite right for the situation, so I put hiim right and one thing let to another. He was going to phone his wife as soon as he'd finished with me to tell her about it.
ReplyDeleteThe lack of Boxing Day is one (if not THE) thing I would pick to dislike about living in the States. I have been lucky enough to have never worked on it here, though I have had to use a vacation day. It is sooooo uncivilised to work the day after Christmas!
ReplyDeleteAND I love the fact that when Boxing Day lands on a weekend (like this year) you get the Monday off too!
ReplyDeleteWhat expatmum just talked about..is what the Spanish call a "puente" or a bridge...which is what they call the day or days between two holidays = more time off (they link them all up together). My solution would be to let the Hispanics take over the good ol' US of A and you'll get more "puentes" = more holidays and..bingo/ole/Bob's your uncle!
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