Moving to the United Kingdom with IntlMOVE and Boxing Day

Posted by on August 2, 2010 · 1 Comment 

When you move to the United Kingdom with IntlMOVE, there are many holiday customs and traditions.

One particular day that is not commonly celebrated in the United States during the holiday season is Boxing Day.

If you have an office job in the United Kingdom, you will likely have the day off of work because it is a public holiday.

If you have a retail position, you will have to work because Boxing Day is the busiest shopping day of the year. 

Boxing Day is typically celebrated the day after Christmas, which is December 26.

However, Boxing Day is technically the first weekday after Christmas.

When Boxing Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, working people in the United Kingdom will have Monday off of work. 

History of Boxing Day

Historically, Boxing Day was celebrated as a way to give back to the poor.

Churches placed Christmas boxes, which were made from wood or clay, in the church on Christmas Day.

These boxes were filled with gifts or money by the parishioners.

December 26 was the day people opened a Christmas box to share the contents of the box with the poor.

Hence, the name of the holiday – Boxing Day.

Many poor people had to work on Christmas Day, so they took the following day off to spend time with family and friends.

In the 1700s, Lords and Ladies would put their leftover food and gifts into boxes for the tenants who worked in their houses and on their land.

Employers would commonly give Christmas Boxes to the employees when they left after their shift on Christmas. 

The tradition is still very much a part of the holiday customs in the United Kingdom.

Households still give small gifts or tips to the paperboy, milkman or to other trades people.

Employees often give Christmas bonuses to employees.

School children even participate in the tradition.

Schools will pack up boxes to send to less fortunate individuals in other countries. 

There is much more to Boxing Day in England than giving food and gifts to less fortunate people.

Boxing Day is also a day where men traditionally partake in a fox hunt.

Horse riders are dressed in red and white riding gear and are accompanied by fox hounds.

In 2005, this tradition was outlawed in England as it was seen as a cruel way to kill foxes.

This is still a practice in Ireland as it has not been outlawed yet. 

Foxes were not the only things that were hunted on Boxing Day.

Young boys used to hunt and kill a wren.

This practice took place in England, Wales, and the Isle of Man.

They would tie the dead wren, which was stoned to death, to the top of a pole and decorate it with ribbons.

The boys, with blackened faces, would then go around town singing a song with the bird in tow.

People who gave the boys money, gifts or food would receive a feather from the bird.

The money that was collected from this ritual was used to host a village dance.

The practice no longer takes place and it is even considered bad luck to kill a wren on Boxing Day.

Today, the wren boys use a stuffed bird and go throughout the city singing and collecting money for charity. 

Modern Boxing Day

Boxing Day is now a day where families spend time together watching sports or playing games.

Recently, shopping has become a major tradition of Boxing Day.

All items go on sale on this day because the holidays are over.

This is also very similar to the United States, where people line up outside of stores to take advantage of the cheap holiday deals.

When you move to the United Kingdom with IntlMOVE, you will have to learn a lot about new customs and traditions.

Celebrating the holidays is just one of the many new experiences you will be able to have when you move overseas.

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Moving to London with IntlMOVE

Posted by on March 5, 2010 · 3 Comments 

If you are considering moving overseas, contact IntlMOVE for all of your international shipping needs.
IntlMOVE is not like other moving companies, we only work with international shipments.
So when you decide to move to the UK, contact the international moving company who specializes in international moves.
London offers a wide variety of culturally rich experiences that you will be sure to enjoy.
Let IntlMOVE ship your household goods to London so you can begin to make this new city your home.

London Eye – The famous tourist destination is the largest Ferris wheel in Europe.
With over 10,000 visitors every day, you will not want to miss the ride that has 32 capsules and reaches 443 feet tall!
Make sure to buy your tickets online because it will save a lot of time.
Although the lines look long, be patient because they move very quickly.

Tower of London
The history of this famous landmark spans hundreds of years.
Not only does the Tower of London hold the Crown Jewels, but three English queens were also executed at this site.

Buckingham Palace
This is the official residence of the Queen!
When you are out and about during the summer time, make sure to visit the State Rooms of the Palace.
The State Rooms are open during August and September.
If you are visiting the Palace, you can also see the famous Changing of the Guard, which takes place at scheduled times.

Museum of London
Learning as much as you can about your new city will help you feel more at home.
The Museum of London provides you with an amazing opportunity to learn about the history of London.
There are seven permanent galleries in which you will see the evolution of one of the world’s greatest cities

British Museum
The British Museum is filled with treasures from the four corners of the earth.
You can see the Rosetta Stone, the Easter Island statue, many Ancient Greek and Egyptian artifacts and the earliest known image of Christ.
There is so much to see and do here that you will not know where to start!

Natural History Museum
At the Natural History Museum you will find dinosaurs galore!
Learn all about the history of the natural world while you explore fossils and ancient artifacts.
You can learn about the development of our world as we know it today.
If you are feeling a little daring, you can even experience what an earthquake feels like on ‘The Power Within’ attraction.

Big Ben
The world-famous clock tower is an iconic figure of London.
The name actually refers to the enormous 13-ton bell that hangs within the structure.
The bell was named after Sir Benjamin Hall, who was the first commissioner of works.
Even though the tower is named after the bell, the clock is pretty magnificent.
Each number on the clock is 2-feet high and the minute hand is 14-feet long!

Thames River
The Thames River offers the residents and visitors of London beautiful scenery, wildlife and archaeology.
There are famous bridges that pass over the river and other canals and rivers that meet up with the great natural wonder.
Get some exercise and walk or bike along the paths or just spend the day having a picnic near the water.
There are many events that take place here, so locate a good event calendar in London to stay abreast of the festivals, fairs and shows that can be enjoyed.

Dining Out in London
There is no typical experience you will have when dining out in London.
You can enjoy many 5-star restaurants, or take advantage of the food at local Irish pubs.
You will be able to find any type of cuisine you can imagine in this culturally diverse city.
However, if you want to feel like a local, there are some typical dishes you can eat.
If you are a fan of tea, many hotels offer the traditional English tea experience.
If you are more of a fish and chips type of person, there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy this delicious fried dish.
Bangers and mash, which is actually sausages and potatoes, are an all-time favorite.
Roastbeef and Yorkshire pudding is typically served on Sundays during a family affair.
Yorkshire pudding is made from flour, eggs and milk and is moistened with gravy when it is ready to be served.

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