Annie's Boxing Day Page

Annie's Boxing Day Page

Celebrated on December 26th (the day after Christmas) each year.

"Every good and perfect gift cometh from the Father above..."
~James 1:17~

The Dictionary tells us this about "Boxing Day":

Main Entry: Boxing Day
Function: noun
Date: 1833
: the first weekday after Christmas observed as a legal holiday in parts of the Commonwealth and marked by the giving of Christmas boxes to service workers (as postal workers)

~Here is what The World Book Encyclopedia says about Boxing Day~

Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated in Britain, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. It falls on December 26, which is also St. Stephen's Day. The public observance of Boxing Day takes place on the following Monday if December 26 falls on a Saturday or Sunday. The traditional celebration of Boxing Day included giving money and other gifts to charitable institutions, needy individuals, and people in service jobs. The holiday may date from the Middle Ages (A.D. 400's-1500's), but the exact origin is unknown. It may have begun with the lords and ladies of England, who presented Christmas gifts in boxes to their servants on December 26. Or it may have begun with priests, who opened the church's alms (charity) boxes on the day after Christmas and distributed the contents to the poor.

~Here is what Compton's Encyclopedia says about Boxing Day~

Boxing Day is December 26, celebrated in Great Britain (except Scotland) and Canada as a day of gift giving; derived from custom of giving Christmas boxes of food, clothing, and other goods to employees, tradespeople, mail carriers, lamplighters, and others who had performed services throughout the year; one of the country's several annual bank holidays.

Christmas Gift Giving

~Here is what The World Book Encyclopedia says about Gift Giving~

Gift giving is one of the oldest customs associated with Christmas: it is actually older than the holiday itself. When the date of Christmas was set to fall in December, it was done at least in part to compete with ancient pagan festivals that occurred about the same time. The Romans, for example, celebrated the Saturnalia on December 17. It was a winter feast of merrymaking and gift exchanging. Two weeks later, on the Roman New Year--January 1--houses were decorated with greenery and lights, and gifts were given to children and the poor. As the Germanic tribes of Europe accepted Christianity and began to celebrate Christmas, they also gave gifts.

Traditionally, in some countries, such as Italy and Spain, children do not receive gifts until January 5, the eve of Epiphany. According to Italian folklore, an old woman named Befana goes down chimneys and delivers presents to children on that night, just as the three wise men brought gifts to the infant Jesus. In Spain, children leave their shoes outside filled with straw and barley for the magi's animals and hope that presents will be left by the wise man Balthazar.

In several Northern European nations gifts are given on December 6, which is the feast of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of children. Legend holds that the kindly man leaves gifts for those who have been good.

Compton's Encyclopedia tells us more about Boxing Day

Boxing Day, celebrated on December 26 or the first weekday following Christmas, is a legal holiday in Canada, Great Britain, and some other countries. Its name probably comes from the old custom of giving boxes of gifts on this day to people who render services to the public, such as mail carriers. It is also the day on which churches open the boxes of money and goods for the poor donated by parishioners.

The exchange of gifts has remained a central feature of the holiday season the world over. It has become so significant that most merchants count on making a very large proportion of their annual sales during the period from late November to December 24. So important has the Christmas selling period become that many stores fail to show a profit at the end of the year if Christmas sales are low.

In churches a "gift" or offering is taken each Sunday. Either in an offering plate or basket. Ushers collect the offering. A "tithe" is a gift to God of our "firstfruits" or 10% off the top of our earnings or harvest. Since "all gifts" are from the Lord, we are giving back to him thanks and gratitude for what we have received.

There are 77 verses with the word "GIFTS" in the Bible.
"PRESENT" Present is mentioned 138 times in the Bible.

God also gives us the GIFTS of the Holy Spirit. All of our gifts and talents come from the Lord. The familiar chorus reminds us that "without Him we can do nothing, without Him we'd surely fail". We are like a ship without a sail. The Holy Spirit is our guide and our teacher.

Main Entry: ¹gift
Pronunciation: 'gift
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old Norse, something given, talent; akin to Old English giefan to give
Date: 12th century
1 : a notable capacity, talent, or endowment
2 : something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation
3 : the act, right, or power of giving

The best gift that I can give you is the best gift to receive. It is the most important gift I can give you. So if I can give you only one gift this is the one that I want you to have.

Here it is. You don't have to shake it or tear the wrapping paper.
Just click on the present to find out how to become a Christian.

The gift I want to give you is "Salvation". It is a FREE gift from God. "For by GRACE are you saved through faith, it is a gift of God not of works lest any man should boast" Ephesians 2:8-9. Here is a link to "The Four Spiritual Laws" part of Campus Crusade for Christ. This page and site will follow up on your decision if you become a Christian and they have wonderful resources. You can click here and read my personal testimony at "Annie's Testimony Page".

All the presents in the world won't matter if you spend eternity in hell. Don't put it off......you don't know what tomorrow may bring. Do you know what you would say if you tomorrow you died, you got to heaven and they asked you "Why should we let you in?" Believe me a long laundry list of all the good things you did isn't enough. Because nothing of your own merit will get you to heaven.....the only way is by accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior.

Here is what the Thesaurus says about "GIFT"

Entry Word: gift
Function: noun
Text: 1 something freely given by one person to another for his benefit or pleasure <the watch was a graduation gift>
Synonyms benevolence, boon, ||compliment, favor, largess, present
Related Word alms, benefaction, contribution, donation; award, bestowal, grant, presentation; legacy; offering, reward, tip; remembrance, souvenir, token
2 a natural or special facility or capableness <has a gift for electronics>
Synonyms aptness, bent, bump, faculty, flair, genius, head, knack, nose, set, talent, turn; LEANING 2
Related Word ability, aptitude, capability; accomplishment, acquirement, attainment; instinct, numen, power; forte, leaning, propensity, specialty
Contrasted Words awkwardness, clumsiness, maladroitness