All last Friday's talk about Boxing Day led to me figuring something out! That's miraculous all by itself! I could end the post here and still be amazed at myself! But, no. I'll share. That way you can be amazed, too.
The Wikipedia entry for Boxing Day that LiteralDan linked to mentioned that it is often celebrated on December 26th, the feast of St. Stephen. I just watched Love Actually the other day and it reminded me about the carol Good King Wenceslas (which the Hugh Grant, as the Prime Minister, and Gavin, his copper, sing while searching for Natalie).
So I put two and two together and figured out that Good King Wenceslas is actually about Boxing Day!
Good King Wenceslas looked out, on the Feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even;
Brightly shone the moon that night, tho' the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight, gath'ring winter fuel.
"Hither, page, and stand by me, if thou know'st it, telling,
Yonder peasant, who is he? Where and what his dwelling?"
"Sire, he lives a good league hence, underneath the mountain;
Right against the forest fence, by Saint Agnes' fountain."
"Bring me flesh, and bring me wine, bring me pine logs hither:
Thou and I will see him dine, when we bear them thither."
Page and monarch, forth they went, forth they went together;
Through the rude wind's wild lament and the bitter weather.
"Sire, the night is darker now, and the wind blows stronger;
Fails my heart, I know not how; I can go no longer."
"Mark my footsteps, good my page. Tread thou in them boldly
Thou shalt find the winter's rage freeze thy blood less coldly."
In his master's steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted;
Heat was in the very sod which the saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, be sure, wealth or rank possessing,
Ye who now will bless the poor, shall yourselves find blessing.
Lyrics in the public domain courtesy of
Wikipedia
