What I Learned
I've always wondered what exactly Boxing Day is. i know it's a British tradition but what happens? Do people box on that day? I decided it was time to google the term. According to Britannica.com, "Explanations for the origin of the name have varied, with some believing that it derived from the opening of alms boxes that had been placed in churches for the collection of donations to aid the poor. Others, however, have held that it came from the boxes of gifts given to employees on the day after Christmas."
By coincidence, I had already agreed to wrap presents for needy children Christmas Eve Eve through the organization https://thelighthouse-aplaceofrefuge.org/. This year it would take place in a warehouse in Burbank. When I got there, the room was already full of elves and Christmas music. I grabbed a bag full of presents, a roll of Christmas paper and sat down at a table with another fellow elf, Keith. I'm not the best wrapper but I get the job done quickly and probably wrapped more than 40 presents in two hours. The wonderful Lisa and Ron Hardy, founders of the organization, have been doing this for years. It's fun and festive and gets me in the holiday spirit. More importantly, it will put a smile on so many families who would otherwise be unable to buy gifts for their children at Christmas. Each child, depending on their age, gets useful things like hats and socks to stay warm, as well as fun items like trucks and Barbie dolls.
What I learned? Every day can be Boxing Day. I don't have to wait for the 26th. I can help someone out by offering food to the homeless, putting money in a stranger's parking meter, even smiling back when a grumpy person scowls. What I got in return? Meeting a wonderful human like Zoila.
Many blessings to everyone at The Lighthouse-A Place of Refuge.
Keith, fellow elf Presents about to be wrapped Lisa Hardy-Mama
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