Wood Craft and Boxing Day
As part of their Christmas presents 'Im in the Garage' made my two sons these boards, the small one was posted to Singapore and the large one was given to my son who lives in England. Each have some interesting woods in them and it was fun seeing which particular wood looked well together before being glued and clamped.
And this is my present
The wood is Oregon Myrtle kindly sent by Karen, quite a long time ago now, it is such a lovely wood that I just could not let all of it go to make shuttles. The glass embedded in it is antique and was purchased from Camden Market, London about 10 years ago.
Today is Boxing Day, it was the day when the
alms box, collection boxes for the poor often kept in churches, were
traditionally opened so that the contents could be distributed to poor
people. This box is in the wall of one of our churches but the key is lost so we are unable to open it!
It was also traditional that servants were given the the day off to celebrate Christmas with their families on Boxing
Day. Before World War II, it was common for working people (such as
milkmen and butchers) to travel round their delivery places and collect
their Christmas box or tip. I remember this tradition from my childhood when my parents would always have a tip for the postman, the dustman etc. but it has now mostly stopped with perhaps some of the older generation carrying on the tradition in some way. Boxing Day is also a holiday but for some it means the start of the Sales so many shops are very busy and doing a good trade.
Your gift from I'm in the garage is beautiful ! What is it though?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info on Boxing Day, I knew some but not the origin of the name.
My gift is anything you want it to be! I propose to put food on it like cheese for biscuits, or cake or a place to stand jars of jams or pickles, at the moment it is being used to display candles in glass holders.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your holiday and traditions.
ReplyDeleteI was wondering the same thing! - what is it? - I can almost feel how very tactile it must be, you could also use it as a work station to hold your threads and things alongside when you're tatting. Was the glass originally a tumbler? - I love the antique markets, I so well remember browsing through one in Hemel Hempstead many years ago, and finding two gorgeous old spoons there - still have them, and use them!
ReplyDeleteAh another idea for the board Maureen! I don't think the glass was orginally a tumbler from what I remember there were various colours and sizes being sold at the time. Antique markets are not like they used to be, and bargains are very rare. The best buys if you are really lucky are at car boot sales.
DeleteBeautiful boards - and yours with antique glass inlay is such a lovely use of the wood. 'im in the Garage is to be commended for yet another display of his skills.
ReplyDeleteI like your explanation of Boxing Day. A friend once told me it is a day when leftovers from Christmas meal were boxed up and then taken to a nieghbor to visit & eat with them. Karen in OR
Pleased you like the use of the wood Karen especially the Oregon Myrtle! Over the years the true meaning of Boxing Day is beginning to fade, but even your friends explanation does sound at least plausible
DeleteVery informative post.
ReplyDeleteLove the boards & the various kinds of woods & how they have been used together ! Wow!!
Happy Holidays :-)
Thank you for this lovely post. I am wondering now, if there is anuthing in that alms box?
ReplyDeleteWe believe there is some money in the alms box, but the charge the locksmith would make to break it open was going to be a lot more!
ReplyDeletePerhaps you or "I'm in the garage", could try a hair grip or similar!!!
ReplyDeleteAnne we did get a locksmith out and he could not open it, with a hair grip or anything else! The only way to get into the box was obviously using more brutal means, which he was going to charge us for, but we didn't think we would gain anything from this break in as not sure how much money is still in there! Since then I have found some keys but the lock has probably rusted over by now!
ReplyDeleteWe find WD40 is brilliant at most stubborn objects. Good luck!!
DeleteHappy New Year to you and your family.