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[miles]

I for one appreciated the education.  But I still don't understand what it is.  I wouldn't mind living in Vancouver, though, so I guess I should learn.  You know, just in case.

[side_show]

Basically, the tradition of Boxing Day is this:  After X-Mas you box up all the things you don't need or that you have in abundance/surplus to give to those who need/have use of the items:  If you got a nice new coat, you might donate your old coat to a shelter.  If you had a surplus of food, you might donate what you didn't need, or distribute it among friends and neighbors.  If you got gifts you did not want, you might just give those away to other people.  I usually clean out my food cupboards of any non-perishables that I've accumulated over the year that we don't want and donate them to Winnipeg Harvest, but this year I did it before Christmas.  Also, my SO and I were recipients this Boxing Day - my SO's grandma gave us two Hutterite-raised chickens (she live out near a colony) and a bag of home made perogies her 90 year old neighbor made, as well as a half dozen packages of cream cheese.  I know in olden days out on the farm, my grandparents told me people did this in a more personal but very respectful and anonymous way - usually you would leave the items on the back or side door step of the person in need.   It's basically a day of communal sharing, and the whole consumerist Boxing Day Sale has sort of grown into an exploitative aspect of the idea.  Once upon a time stores would put certain traditionally Christmas-like items on sale on the day after Christmas, and that would be when the working class/lower class/serving class families would actually celebrate Christmas - it was a charitable thing: for example the butcher would intentionally sell his turkeys for half price knowing that he'd be selling them to those who couldn't have one on Christmas Day- that sort of thing.  It's definitely more about just clearing out the holiday stock now, and the whole spirit of giving/charity is really getting leached away, but I'm sure anyone could make the same sort of argument about Christmas itself too.

[AugustWest]

I'm still trying to get my head around the concept of moving south to the Dakotas. 

[side_show]

Yeah, the family trip to Mount Rushmore was just totally confusing to me - we were a family of Canadians, why the hell did my parents force us to drive for days and days to go see the giant heads of former leaders of a neighbouring country?  I mean they're big, so it's sort of neat, but not the worth-a-drive-for-days and sleep-in-a-cramped-camper-trailer kind of "neat"...  It was boring and stupid all at the same time.  I remember before we went I was all excited to see the "Bad Lands" because the name sounded so exciting, and I'd seen some Road Runner Cartoons that made me hope for some Acme style fun. And then learning that "bad" has more than one meaning.

[side_show]

Yeah, the SO had a really great time going to Drumheller for a dino dig, while my 'rent drove out to see the Bat Boy cave.  It was not cool.

In retrospect, I've just grown tired of Canada always being the punchline, you're not the guilty party, it just sort of an over all thing.

[CortJstr]

I'll admit to being part of the problem. In high school we used "Canadian" and "Texan" as synonyms for egregious. I apologize for dispariging Canada.

[side_show]

That's okay Court, I just tend to be really self aware of any comments I make about Americans on the board, and I hope for the same from you folks, that's all.

Anyway, there are still ads for "Held-over Boxing Week Blow out!" sales here, so the whole Boxing Day thing has an oily sheen over it now.

[Thee]

Fuckin' Canadians.  With their clean streets and low crime rates!  And their socialized health care!  *shakes fist*

I grew up an hour south of the border, in warshington state.  You may be able to pull the wool over these other poor saps, but I know, I KNOW what evil lurks in the hearts of men, side show.

[AlohaDawg]

That's okay Court, I just tend to be really self aware of any comments I make about Americans on the board, and I hope for the same from you folks, that's all.

Anyway, there are still ads for "Held-over Boxing Week Blow out!" sales here, so the whole Boxing Day thing has an oily sheen over it now.

To me, what you want to say about America is fine, just don't come down here and blow shit or people up. Not that I feel like I really <live> in America anymore....I kind of feel like an ex-pat in Hawaii sometimes.

[side_show]

Yeah, I always imagine that Hawaiians and Alaskans must hold a pretty unique view of what being American is all about. 

Also, it would be really funny if Canadians tried to wage war on America.  Really, really pitifully funny.  The most damage would occur when one of our 30+ year old helicopters fails mid-flight and accidentally crashes into some guy's field, damaging his wind barrier.  His wind barrier!

[V-Adore]

Yeah, I always imagine that Hawaiians and Alaskans must hold a pretty unique view of what being American is all about. 

Alaska is a wacky place. Among other things, it had (during my childhood, at least) a thriving independence movement, based entirely on the confluence of crazy survivalists and some vague hope of economic self-sufficiency (from the oil, you see). Then the ringleader of the whole operation disappeared, which kept the conspiracy theorists hopping for months until his body was discovered at his cabin, apparently killed by another crazy-ass survivalist mountain man (oops!). The independence guys may not ever win, but they have made Alaska into a whole other country.