Boxing blessings

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Francis Gonsalves [1]

Christmas week is full of feasts: Boxing Day and the Feast of Stephen (December 26), as well as the Feasts of Evangelist John (December 27), Holy Innocents (December 28) and the Holy Family (December 30). Though the origins of these feasts are far separated in place and time, all of them strikingly stress a Christian theme: “It’s more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

The origins of Boxing Day are obscure. Growing up in a Christian locale in Bandra, Mumbai, I remember scores of watchmen, milkmen, washwomen, postmen, sweepers, paperboys, cleaners, dabbawallahs and so on flocking to Christian families to demand baksheesh. Most of these people were never seen before Christmas and wouldn’t be seen till the next Christmas. Their insistence for “bada baksheesh” often led to arguments and many Mumbaikars felt like “boxing” these poor workers. That, in my infantile imagination, explained “Boxing Day”. I was wrong.
Boxing Day — celebrated soon after Christmas — originated in the former British colonies. Servants and subordinates selflessly served their lords and masters in the run-up to Christmas. Celebrations over, they were gifted with a “Christmas Box” containing gifts, goodies and money for their families as recompense for services rendered.
Boxing Day coincides with the feast of Saint Stephen, Christianity’s first martyr. Hence, big boxes are sometimes kept in churches wherein people drop clothes, gifts and money, which are distributed to the poor. Believers are exhorted to “bring boxes” to bring some cheer to those who ordinarily eke out joyless existences.
Today, market moods motivate many. Hence, Boxing Day or “Boxing Week” is time “to shop till you drop”. Post-Christmas, prices fall sharply and consumers make a beeline for stores to pick up leftover gifts at throwaway prices. As the days of this year run out, pockets run out, too.
Without generous giving Christmas Week is meaningless. Evangelist John writes, “Those who love God must love their brothers and sisters, too” (1 John 4:21). Here, brothers and sisters does not merely refer to one’s family members but to everyone. We must give generously to all.
The Feast of Holy Innocents recalls the infants who were massacred by an insecure and cruel King Herod who, on hearing that a king-messiah was born and frightened that he’d eventually be dethroned, ordered all babies to be butchered (Matthew 2:16-18). Today, bony innocents die due to undernourishment and overwork. Can’t we reach out to them with a box of love?
The Holy Family — Joseph, Mary, Jesus — were outstanding in giving of themselves to God and all people. And Stephen was a youth who surrendered his whole life. Incidentally, Stephen in Greek means “crown”. Let’s crown our Christmas Week by thinking out of the box and gifting a “Big Box” to someone in need.

Francis Gonsalves is the principal of the Vidyajyoti College of Theology, Delhi.