Cracker L


Christmas


ike Christmas Day, Boxing Day is a public holiday and when Boxing Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday the following


Monday is the public holiday, as it is this year. Why is this day called Boxing Day? Boxing Day is not a universal Christmas holiday. Many


countries observe no special activities on St. Stephen’s Day. In Britian traditionally, December 26th was the day alms boxes were opened in church to share the contents with the poor. An ‘Alms Box’ was placed in every church on Christmas Day, into which worshippers placed a gift for the poor of the parish. These boxes were always opened the day after Christmas, which is why that day became know as Boxing Day. Servants, apprentices and other poorly paid workers were


required to work on Christmas Day and took the following day off to visit their families. As they prepared to leave, their employers would present them with Christmas boxes, which were small clay boxes their masters had filled with coins over the previous year. During the late 18th century, Lords and Ladies of the manor


would ‘box up’ their leftover food, or sometimes gifts and distribute them the day after Christmas to tenants who lived and worked on their lands. And the tradition still continues today ...... It is customary for householders to give small gifts or monetary tips to trades people who visit regularly such as the milkman, dustman, paper boy etc, and, in some work places, for employers to give a Christmas bonus to employees. And children in many school and churches fill shoeboxes with small gifts which are sent to poorer countries. There is also a tradition of holding hunt meetings and horse


races on Boxing Day. This is because of a tenuous connection St. Stephen has as patron saint of horses. Nowadays Boxing Day is often a day when families get


together after the excess of Christmas Day to watch television, play board games, especially new ones given as gifts the previous day. Many families will go on walks in the countryside together on Boxing Day. And in recent times some shops have started opening on Boxing Day to start the New Year sales.


Audrey’s


Established 1968


Fish Bar Tudor Rise Ross-on-Wye Herefordshire HR9 5QB


32


Tel: 01989 563821


National Fish Fryers Federation Member


In Britain, Boxing Day is usually celebrated on the day after Christmas Day, December 26th. However, strictly speaking, Boxing Day is the first weekday after Christmas.


Making Boxing Day Extra Special with organic baked ham


Serving up a glazed organic baked ham for a Boxing Day family feast is not only impressive, but can be prepared in advance to leave you free to enjoy the day.


Serves 12-16: 3kg/6lb unsmoked organic gammon ham, approx 36 organic cloves, 3 tbsp clear organic honey, 60g/2oz organic Demerara sugar, finely grated rind and juice of 1 organic orange 1


Put the gammon joint in a large bowl and cover in cold water. Leave to soak overnight.


2 3


4 5 6


7


Drain the water and discard it. Place the gammon in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and cover the pan. Simmer gently for 3 ½ hours (30 minutes per 500g/1lb plus 30 minutes).


Drain off the cooking water and place the ham on a large board. Leave to cool for 20 minutes. Peel off the skin, leaving a good layer of fat around the ham.


Using a sharp knife score the fat into a diamond pattern and stud each corner with an organic clove. Transfer the joint to a large roasting tin.


Heat the organic honey, sugar, orange rind and juice in a small saucepan until the sugar has dissolved.


Brush the honey and sugar mixture liberally over the scored joint.


Bake in a preheated oven at 2000C/400 C/Gas Mark 4 for 20-30 minutes, until golden brown.


Serve cold, garnished with orange slices, accompanied by organic cranberry sauce – then sit back and enjoy!


Yolanda MacGregor, Field Fayre – The Organic Store, 18-19 Broad Street, Ross-on- Wye HR9 7EA


The Ross Gazette


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