December 26, 2019. Ancaster, Ontario. Boxing Day.

My sister Carol always rented a skating rink on Boxing Day morning. She invited friends and relatives. Mostly Ken and I and the boys were in town. Our pattern was to drive up from Maryland and spend Christmas and Boxing Day with Dave and Irene, then drive north to see ken's Mother in Parry Sound. David and Andrew learned to skate at those sessions. Many relatives helped the boys get around the rink. Everyone in Canada can skate so at those sessions, people zoom around the rink. Ken and I would laugh when we rented Wheaton skating for my birthday celebration. Friends did not skate nearly as fast as those folks did on Boxing Day parties in Hamilton. Today on Boxing Day here we are all chilling out. Dave is still in his bath robe while I did not get up until 10. Irene has talked to Norm and Diane and they too are recovering from their big day of entertaining yesterday. 20 stopped by their home to say Marry Christmas and 22 people sat down for dinner at 6:30. The custom of Boxing Day comes from England and is celebrated in Britain, Australia and New Zealand. Apparently, the elite of the society boxed up the old toys and gave them to the poor in the community. I have no idea is this was true but in Canada the day after Christmas is called Boxing Day and is also a holiday. Many Canadians celebrate Christmas Day with immediate family and reserve Boxing Day for friends and extended family. Thus Carol's custom of rented the rink for friends and family. I miss those events and I miss the people who were there. But life goes on. Today, Irene, Dave and I had a lovely quiet day, Boxing Day, 2019 at their lovely home in Ancaster. Pretty nice.