Opening Boxes

Today is Boxing Day DownUnder. I never really understood this public holiday. The first time I heard of it, I thought it referred to a dedicated day for some boxing match (considering that this country is really into sports). But looking it up, this next weekday after Christmas, celebrated in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other countries in the Commonwealth of Nations, is a traditional celebration which consisted of the practice of giving out gifts to employees, the poor, or to people in a lower social class. Eventually, it evolved into a day of post-Christmas shopping, where many retailers hold Boxing Day sales.

Interestingly, Boxing Day is not formally observed in South Australia, instead what would have been the next working day after Christmas is officially titled Proclamation Day and a public holiday is observed. However, it is still referred to as Boxing Day.

Talking (writing) about boxes, I have been opening big ones myself leading up to Christmas. Joy! I gave myself "huge" rewards this Christmas - a 40-inch Sony Bravia LCD HDTV (D Series) and a Sony ultra compact DAV home theatre system (DAV-IS10).













Naturally, it goes without saying that much research (Sony Bravia LCD and Sony DAV-IS10), was made before finally deciding to get them.

Certainly, the change in size of TV screen (from the "postcard size" screen of my old analogue TV - a hand-me down from the residential college) plus having a remote control (finally) are reasons to be happy with the purchase. Of course, much more so with the five tiny satellite speakers of the DAV-IS10 home theatre system, each one the size of a golf ball with powerful sound quality offered by much bigger speakers. As with everything else when it comes to these electronic gadgets, half of the fun is setting them up. I am proud to say, even though I am not a techie, that I set the whole system up myself (bravo!).