Stretch out Christmas holiday by celebrating Boxing Day

ALPINE — Most calendars note that Dec. 26, the day after Christmas, is Boxing Day. But if you're a born-and-bred local, that's not likely to mean much. And since it's not an American holiday, it's hard to find Boxing Day celebrations in the United States.

But if you are lucky enough to be invited to the home of Paul and Aimy Kersey in Alpine, you can get a taste of the English holiday.

The Kerseys save some gifts to open, they invite the family over and they play games. They munch on cold turkey sandwiches and leftover Christmas goodies.

"It's a repeat of Christmas actually," said Aimy Kersey. "We really don't do anything different. We just kind of stretch it out. We might take a long, country walk or something. We normally try to do a service thing as well. This year, we're going to do carol singing at the elderly home."

It's the second Christmas in America for the Kerseys, and they're starting to convert some of their neighbors and friends to the tradition.

Aimy Kersey would love to see it catch on. "I've always celebrated Boxing Day, since I was a child," she said. "I love it."

It seems her wish is coming true. In Canada it's an official holiday, and Boxing Day is celebrated in many places — besides the United States — influenced by the English: Australia, New Zealand and Scotland.

There's enough American interest that there are a number of Web sites about Boxing Day.

"Elaine" answers questions at www.homepages.tesco.net about what's proper to give and to serve on Boxing Day.

According to the book "Urban Legends," written by Barbara and David Mikkelson (www.snopes.com), Boxing Day is not an excuse for getting together to fight. It isn't even about clearing the house of Christmas debris.

It harks back to the Feast of St. Stephen. Since he is the patron saint of horses, some associate Boxing Day with horse-racing and hunting. Utah County holiday visitor Helen Kernohan of Hednesford, England, said that used to be true but not so much anymore.

"For most people it's a bank holiday, so mostly no one works on that day. For most Brits it's a day to indulge in leftover turkey and something called bubble and squeak, which is leftover veggies and potatoes fried up in turkey fat usually and any gravy left from Christmas dinner. Most of us go shopping on that day," Kernohan said.

The Mikkelsons say, "Despite the lively images suggested by the name, it has nothing to do with pugilistic expositions between tanked-up family members who have dearly been looking forward to taking a round out of each other for the past year. Likewise, it does not gain its name from the overpowering need to rid the house of an excess of wrappings and mountains of now useless cardboard boxes the day after St. Nick arrived.