Opinion: The world needs more Boxing Day

By Medicine Hat News Opinon on December 27, 2019.

cgallant@medicinehatnews.com
@collingallant

Christmas is a joyous time. New Year’s too.

Celebration, connection, reflecting on good fortune, joining with family and friends, a theme of togetherness in the family of man.

Boxing Day comes at it from a similar but different angle, and should be a clarion call to us to examine our ourselves and our communities.

While “giving thanks” is an unofficial theme of the yuletide festivities, the day after Dec. 25, was initially set aside a day to appreciate and share good fortune, and to reach out to our neighbours.

It originated in England 119 years ago as the day off for servants, postmen, and those who were busiest leading up to Christmas Day and the day itself.

Now, of course, we treat it as an extra day of shopping – ironic as that is coming after the bounty of Christmas – and not as a general recharge period.

In a world where its often said that there’s never enough time, time is too often squandered, frittered away doing the things we always do to occupy our time.

In its highest form Boxing Day is to be a time of reflection, of simpler things, of relaxation, leisure and reflection.

It’s a losing argument in this age, it seems, even when we often muse about extending the Christmas spirit to last the whole year, or nearer Jan. 1, too often we recall with regret what wasn’t accomplished in the past year.

This is a tall order, and soon enough the old arguments will start anew.

The vagarities of life keep creeping in, the trials, the distractions. They push out or hold down the spirit of selflessness and service that all major religions call for and which stands as the basis of ethical life for atheists.

So is understanding and welcoming spirit, so there is no good excuse for being a bully on social media or otherwise.

It’s a sad statement that in a post making the rounds on Dec. 23, was an argument between the United Conservative and Alberta New Democrats about whether politics should be discussed at the Christmas table.

A key insight from area MLA Drew Barnes posited that banning religion and politics as topics not suitable for polite conversation has helped make them topics that people can’t seem to discuss politely.

It’s a point worth considering – as is the fact manners are a two-way street – but let’s not be so naive to think such conversations haven’t been happening all along, or aren’t happening now.

Nowadays, though, the political is so deeply personal and, equally, the personal especially political.

Boxing Day’s place preceding New Year’s, and resolutions, makes it the perfect opportunity for reflection, looking ahead, and reaching out.

The coming year will present a number of challenges beyond any typical trip through the calendar.

Recession is widely predicted nationally after a decade of economic growth. In Alberta, 2020 is being posed a sort of axis time for the economy, the oilpatch and a potential collision with the environmental movement.

Our province’s public resources are stretched, the government warned before in the fall budget, and another budget is due in March.

Charities, non-profit agencies, schools, hospitals and educational systems are facing major changes because of it.

It is hard to not hear the concern, arguments for and against, or recognize the gravity as parties and their acolytes debate the future landscape of our province.

What is lost in this conversation is the voice of Albertans, who, no matter their affiliation, should not be simply sitting by and hoping for the best.

Rather than accept it, we should be shaping it and resolve for a new year full of personal improvement, acts to help local community and the wider world.

How can that be bad?

It can’t, and neither is concentrating on what unites us, or working in our own to create a better 2020 and beyond.

(Collin Gallant is a News reporter. You can contact him by email at cgallant@medicinehatnews.com)