There's an age-long tradition of having a boxing day after Christmas. This is not about trading punches, but about exchanging of gifts. Most times, the Christmas decorations are still up, but the noise and the activities may be dwindling. However, there is a message that stands out even beyond the gifts and the celebration. This is a message of gratitude. Boxing day should generally make one to take a pause and reflect on one thing - on gratitude. This is not about the shiny new gifts but about what truly matter. Beyond exchanging gifts, there should also be a moment of reflection about life and about what is important to you.
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More often than not, during the Christmas day itself, people tend to celebrate, laugh, merry, enjoy good company, and all of that. But after that, what happens? Will you also be happy when the excitement fizzles away? Will your heart of gratitude, at least for the gift of life, still remain even after the season is over? What you should have in mind is that true gratitude should not be tied to just one season, but it should be a lifestyle for you. You also have to understand that value will still remain even when there is no new gift to be opened at the moment. This is exactly what boxing day should remind you. Understand that thankfulness, gratitude, and joy should not end with the season; it should be part of your everyday life.
From what I read from history, boxing day was usually when people gave to the people in need, or their servants, their workers, or to the poor around them. This teaches the power of generosity and should make us realign our mindset to focus on sharing and not just on acquiring. If you truly appreciate the things you have, you will look for ways to share it. It is the heart of gratitude that moves you from thinking of "what have you gotten?" to "what can you give?" In this season, and as a lifestyle, make your life a channel of blessing.
Another very important thing to appreciate beyond the material gifts is the gift of life. This gift may be unseen, but it is the foundation on which all other things are standing on. There are things that cannot be wrapped in a paper and delivered, but they still form the fundamentals of what you should be appreciative of. The gift of life also comes with its attendant benefits, like good health, peace of mind, gift of loved ones, supportive relationships, opportunities, etc. You see, there are things even beyond what you cannot see or touch. Gratitude is not measured by your material possessions, they include the blessings that money cannot buy. This is part of the things that boxing day reminds us. For the fact that you woke up, breathe freely, have people love and care for you, is an underrated blessing that should be appreciated.
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Boxing day also teaches contentment. It is not the accumulation that creates the lasting joy but the appreciation of what you have. A lot of people are happy with less of what you have, while some other people are unhappy with more than what you have, so learn to be contented. Your heart of contentment saves you from desperation, and builds within you the act of appreciation. When you learn satisfaction even with the little, you free yourself from comparison, competition, and dissatisfaction. Your gratitude will become a shield against envy, and a source of inner peace.
Boxing day also encourages you to take a reflection of how the year has been so far. Not just for the victories, but also for the challenges that shaped you and made you who you are. The experiences you gathered for the year are part of the reasons why you are still standing strong till now. For everything you have experienced for the year, and for the gift of life, you need to remain grateful and appreciative. It is worthy to note that gratitude does not deny the existence of challenges, but it recognises growth even in the midst of challenges.
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