The Day the Music Stops

"Boxing Day is observed only in is observed in the United Kingdom, Canada, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and some other Commonwealth nations. In America December 26 is known as the Day after Christmas Day, and is observed as a holiday in only a few states."   Its origins are considered to be in Britain with the  "Christmas-box" to servants and tradespeople for good service in the previous year. The New York Times, in a witty satirical December 2013 article, says that: "Americans observe the day by staying home with their families and staring glassy-eyed at their empty Christmas-present boxes. This is an American form of meditation and, if possible, should not be interrupted. Families do not get dressed or answer the phone, and some put trash bags over their windows and doors so that light cannot enter their homes." "One person you will surely run into is the pizza deliverer. Today, it is a tradition to eat things that are, of course, boxed. Pizza, candy, and some types of wine are popular, as is boxed food called “takeout,” which, in America, only sometimes refers to food that is “taken out” of a restaurant—in other words, fetched by the purchaser. More often, “takeout” means “delivery.” Listen for the American idiomatic phrase “Let’s get takeout for Boxing Day,” followed by “Someone call for pizza.”  All banks and government offices are open, but the workers are grumpy. Expect short queues (or “lines”) but bad service, as most employees would rather be home staring at their boxes. To break the ice with an angry American—who, we should note, is probably not carrying a concealed weapon, no matter what you hear on the news—make small talk, and do not ask why he has worn his pajamas to work." For me, this is the "Unofficial end to Christmas music" day.  We've been listening to versions and variations since October in our retail environments, and since the beginning of December on our various airwaves.  And now it goes silent for another year.  Only a few songs endure between Christmas and New Year's.  "What are you doing New Years Eve" a jazz standard written in 1947 by Frank Loesser.

Turkey Dinner

"Prior to the turkey tradition Christmas fare included roast swan, pheasants and peacocks.  A special treat was a roast goals head decorated with holly and fruit. Henry VIII was considered the first English King to enjoy turkey. Edward VII made eating turkey fashionable at Christmas." Shakespeare talked about it in Henry IV. And then of course, the Christmas Carol elevated it to stardom. Some believe Scrooge's gift of a Christmas turkey to the Crotchet family helped cement the turkey's place at the centre of the holiday meal for both modest and affluent households of England. And what about the tradition of breaking the wishbone? It comes from Europe, and is thousands of years old, originating with the Etruscans who believed chickens were oracles and could predict the future.  Are there Christmas meal records?  One site says that "One notable medieval English Christmas celebration featured a giant, 165-pound pie.  The pie was nine feet in diameter.  Its ingredients included 2 bushels of flour, 20 pounds of butter, 4 geese, 2 rabbits, 4 wild ducks, 2 woodcocks, 6 snipes, 4 partridges, 2 neats' tongues, 2 curlews, 6 pigeons and 7 blackbirds.  We have some pictures today to "Puslinch Steam" and another of the Christmas greetings.

Greetings in Steam

Puslinch is located south of Guelph, only an hour's drive away from Grimsby or Toronto.  It is rolling rural farm land, typical of Ontario. But it has an exceptional collection of steam traction equipment known as the Ontario Steam Heritage Museum.  We were lucky to visit yesterday for the Volunteer Open House - with live steam traction engines in the yard and a fiddle orchestra in the shop.  This felt like the farm version of the Santa Train ride. These huge steam tractors were pulling wagons full of riders along the wooded trails.  And there were quite a few tractors out and operating, so the air was full of steam. This is a privately-owned museum and restoration workshop.  It is on the property of owners Wayne and Judi Fischer.  You can read a little about it at ontariosteamheritagemuseum.ca  And there's a Wellington Advertiser article. There are so many forms of steam here - traditional tractors which we see in pictures of the yard.  There are shingle machines, wood-working machines,ship's engines, even a collection sewing machines was on display, That is what is interesting in the shop - how many tools, parts and supplies are present.   But back outside to the steam in the yard and the whistle blowing.

The Flying Scotsman and the Steam Traction Museum

The news is producing some great stories - today it is the "Flying Scotsman' steam engine roars down rails once more.  It is here for you to read the article and see the video.  The quote of the day: “The smell of coal, oil and steam,” remarked one woman as it rolled past. “If you could bottle that in a perfume, I’d wear it.” In honour of steam, we head to Puslinch, Ontario where Wayne Fischer's Steam Traction Museum holds a wealth of treasurers.