Why No Boxing Day?

Let me start out by wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. This year was much better for me on a personal level. Last year I came down with the flu on Christmas Eve day. It kept me up all night and I ended up sleeping through most of the present opening with my children. This year I was fine and had the joy of watching my children and granddaughter open their gifts. After the merriment had subsided, I made my annual phone calls to my siblings and father. My sister and brother-in-law live in Canada and own a large retail franchise. They were happy to have a day off and were getting ready at work for today. You see, December 26th in Canada is a holiday called Boxing Day. If you already know about it, indulge me while I inform everyone else. This is the day of the after Christmas sales when traditionally seasonal goods are “boxed up” for the year. It is the busiest shopping day of the year in Canada. It made me wonder why we didn’t celebrate it over here in the USA. Retailers love a good sale. There are after Christmas sales anyway so why not take advantage of a well-established holiday. I mean seriously; if Sweetest Day can be a holiday, why not Boxing Day? When I lived over in Canada we always went out on Boxing Day to return what we didn’t want and buy the items we did not receive. Durable goods were particularly prized on this day. The day turned into more of a Boxing Day week. It is all strictly commercial but the sales were usually pretty amazing and the retailers liked the boost at the end of the year. There are sales over here in the United States but there is not a holiday associated with them. Is it just that it isn’t and American holiday? That can’t be it. We celebrate many holidays here that they do in other countries. Take Christmas itself or Halloween or even Thanksgiving. What would it hurt to give Boxing Day a shot over here? I can’t see a down side to it.