ETH AINA'S CREATIVE ISLAND.

“For me, the pleasure of writing comes with inventing stories.” -Roald Dahl #amwriting Writing. ~Whether you write for publication or for fun, the fun comes in writing the stories.

-Wrtr

Ever wondered what Boxing Day is, what it means, and where this unusual name comes from? You may find the answers interesting.

What is Boxing Day?

Arguments come thick and fast as to why, and we hope you find the answers below interesting. But firstly, it has nothing to do with the sport of boxing.

Boxing Day is a national Bank Holiday in late December, a day to spend with family and friends and to eat up all the leftovers of Christmas Day. The origins of the day, however, are steeped in history and tradition.

Why Is It Called Boxing Day?

Arguments abound on the origins of the name Boxing Day. All the answers below are valid, so maybe it is one, or even all of them.

The name is a reference to holiday gifts. A ‘Christmas Box’ in Britain is a name for a Christmas present. Boxing Day was traditionally a day off for servants and the day when they received a ‘Christmas Box’ from the master. The servants would also go home on Boxing Day to give ‘Christmas Boxes’ to their families.

The name is a reference to charity drives. A box to collect money for the poor traditionally and placed in Churches on Christmas day and opened the next day – Boxing Day.

The name refers to a nautical tradition. Great sailing ships when setting sail would have a sealed box containing money on board for good luck. Were the voyage a success, the box was given to a priest, opened at Christmas and the contents then given to the poor.

When is Boxing Day?

Boxing Day is the 26th December and is a national holiday in the UK and Ireland.

Activities on Boxing Day

In Ireland, Boxing Day is also known as “St. Stephens Day” named after the Saint stoned to death for believing in Jesus. In Ireland on Boxing, there was once a barbaric act carried out by the so-called “Wren Boys.” These boys would dress up and go out, and stone wren birds to death then carry their catch around the town knocking on doors and asking for money, the stoning representing what had happened to St Stephen. Thankfully, this tradition has now stopped, but the Wrens Boys still dress up but instead parade around town and collect money for charity.

Food and Drink on Boxing Day

With guests often popping in for a snack or tipple the food and drink on Boxing Day are more relaxed than Christmas Day.

Lunch will usually be a buffet or leftovers from Christmas lunch. Baked Ham is a popular Boxing Day meat along with pease pudding and of course, mince pies with brandy butter or a slice of Christmas cake or other dessert are almost obligatory.

Grammar is a piano I play by ear, since I seem to have been out of school the year the rules were mentioned. All I know of grammar is its infinite power. To shift the structure of a sentence alters the meaning of that sentence, as definitely and inflexibly as the position of a camera alters the meaning of the object being photographed. Many people know about camera angles now, but not so many know about sentences. The arrangement of words matters, and the arrangement you want can be found in the picture in you mind. The picture dictates the arrangement. The picture dictates whether this will be a sentence with or without clauses, a sentence that ends hard or a dying-fall sentence, long or short, active or passive. The picture tells you how to arrange words and the arrangement of the words tells you, or tells me, what’s going on in the picture. Nota bene.*
It tells you.
You don’t tell it.

JOAN DIDION

*”Note well.”

Break-ups suck. Having to break up or being broken up with is never a pleasant experience. The flood of emotions which accompany the termination of a relationship is even worse during the holiday season.

Not only would it feel weird being single again but the festive season has a way of making people feel the pain of a break up more intensely.

As much pain as you may be feeling right now, it’s best to focus on the present, deal with the reality of the break up and have the best time of your life this holiday.

Here are some ways to get through the holiday without feeling depressed:

Focus on rendering service to others

Helping others, being benevolent and kind is a proven way to find fulfilment. Dedicate your time during this holiday season to think less of the pain you feel, and more about how you can be of service to others.

Register or sign up with local social enterprises, churches, or individuals in charge of community work.

You can volunteer to help people in need, destitute, and the under-privileged, by serving food, sharing basic materials [clothes, blankets, shoes etc], or providing services such as clean water etc.

Remember, there’s nothing more precious than giving your time and resources to people who can never repay you.

Give yourself a treat

Yes, you deserve it. You’ve gone through a lot of emotional strain and it’s okay to. Just. relax. Take a vacation, treat yourself to a special date in a fancy restaurant, get a thorough spa treatment, etc.

By pampering yourself, you’ll get rid of the negative energy and weight you’ve been carrying.

Spend quality time with family and loved ones

Your family, friends and loved ones will always have your back and support you. Being with them during this period will help improve your mindset significantly.

Pay a visit to your family, friends, and spend time with them to partake in the warmth of family.

Get into the spirit of the season

Channel into the spirit of the season. Be kind to everyone, smile at strangers, offer help to those in need and be happy.

~ JERRY LENBANG

“When you start writing, the magic comes when the characters seem to take on a life of their own and write the words for themselves.”

– Alice Hoffman #amwriting Writing.

“If you become discouraged just take a look at your bookshelf. Every author whose book is there has gone through moments just like you are now. They were able to persevere and so can you.” -Joy D Fanning

#amwriting …Be Writing.

Why are my dreams filled with you

And what will never be?

You won’t love me and

I won’t stop loving you.

I think love is cruel.

Sometimes you find it

At your enemy’s vineyard or

In a lion’s den.

But when you find love in the Holy Sanctuary

It becomes stressful.

You need to adhere to the theory of celibacy

And other “my Pastor says rules”

So, let us give up on love and

Say our farewells and call it

(in other words ) the end of the world

Because I am immune to that sh**t called love

“Don’t forget – no one else sees the world the way you do, so no one else can tell the stories that you have to tell.” – Charles de Lint #amwriting Be Writing.

A writer is a person who cares what words mean, what they say, how they say it. Writers know words are their way towards truth and freedom, and so they use them with care, with thought, with fear, with delight. By using words well, they strengthen their souls. Story-tellers and poets spend their lives learning that skill and art of using words well. And their words make the souls of their readers stronger, brighter, deeper.

URSULA LE GUIN

Dear Queen,

Now you complain that I am not loveable

You even said, “Aina makes love look difficult”

Have you forgotten that

I’ve wasted time begging you

To open your eyes.

Time that I could have shown you

Fiery sunset and a thousand stars.

Have you forgotten

What I told you when you were departing?

I told you that you will never

Find me in another man.

Although I am not God,

I am irreplaceable.

Now you are back to me

But I am now immune to that sh**t – called Love.

So, deal with it and carry your cross.

Copyright @E.T.H…AINA December 2019