| How to Make Microwave Mochi Posted: 27 Dec 2021 08:00 AM PST Mochi is a delicious Japanese rice cake. Making mochi using a microwave is not only easy, but very fast to make. This recipe allows improvising on substitutions if you don't have the correct ingredients. [Edit]Ingredients - 1½ cups mochiko or rice flour
- 1½ cups water
- ½ cup sugar (adjust to taste)
- Potato, tapioca or corn starch, for dusting
- Food coloring, if you wish to have colored mochi. Traditionally made in green, or pink.
- Note: The basic ratio of mochiko to water is 1:1. Use more water for softer mochi; less water for firmer mochi.
- Measure and pour the water, sugar, and rice flour into a bowl. If you want to color your mochi, drop 3 to 4 drops of food coloring into the bowl. Combine everything until it's a smooth paste, but don't over mix it.[1]
- Get a microwaveable container or small bundt pan and lightly coat it with cooking spray. You can also use a microwavable glass pan.
- Pour the mochi mixture into the sprayed container. Put plastic wrap over the top to keep in as much moisture as possible. The plastic wrap will rise while you microwave the mochi, and it is completely normal.
- Microwave it for 1-2 minutes at a time. Check for even cooking. Cook for another 1-2 minutes at a time until the mochi is semi-transparent. It is best to check every 1-2 minutes as it is very easy to overcook the mochi especially in a high power (i.e., 1200 watt) microwave oven. Cut around the edges.[2]
- Let it cool down in the microwave for about 5 to 10 minutes.[3]
- Add a good handful of potato, tapioca or corn starch on a plate or pan.[4]
- Flip the mochi on the starched surface.[5]
- Use a plastic knife to cut the mochi into pieces and cover the pieces with the starch. Optionally, roll the pieces into balls before coating.
- Treats, such as bean paste or strawberries, can be molded into the mochi. You may need to lessen the microwave timing in order to achieve a doughier mochi.
- This contains about 1200 calories per batch.
- Plastic knives from McDonald's or any other fast food restaurant are excellent for cutting.
- Place them on cupcake sheets for easier handling when eating.
- Make sure to spray the knife before using it.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Cooking spray
- Microwaveable container
- Plate or pan
- Bowl
- Plastic wrap
- Plastic knife
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References |
| How to Grow a Calla Lily Indoors Posted: 27 Dec 2021 12:00 AM PST Calla lilies make a strikingly beautiful houseplant. Even better, they're pretty low-maintenance, and with a little care they'll come back year after year. Whether you've been given a calla lily as a gift or you're hoping to grow a new plant from a bulb, we have all the tips you need to grow and care for a calla lily indoors. [Edit]Basic Indoor Calla Lily Care - Place your calla lily where it gets 4-6 hours of light a day. Calla lilies like it bright, so pick a sunny spot near a window or a glass door. However, avoid an area where the sun beams straight in, especially at mid-day. Direct sunlight can burn the leaves and flowers, causing them to turn yellow.[1]
- If the area where you put the plant is too dim, your calla lily may be smaller and the flower stem may not be as strong.[2]
- Keep the soil moist during the growing season. Every few days from spring through fall, stick your finger into your plant's soil to see how damp it is. If it's dry down to about , water the calla lily until the soil is completely moist.[3] In general, your calla lily will do best if you keep it watered regularly. If you let it dry out too much, it may start to yellow and droop, and the flowers won't look as vibrant.[4]
- Don't oversaturate the plant, though—this will lead to root rot. If the top of the soil still seems moist, you don't need to water your calla lily yet.
- Set your thermostat to from spring through fall. Calla lilies actually do really well at normal room temperature, which is part of their appeal as houseplants. However, do your best to keep the temperature pretty consistent—big swings throughout the day can affect how well your plant will flower.[5]
- Keep your plant away from heating and air conditioning vents, as these areas tend to have more fluctuations in temperature.
- Place a humidity tray under the plant if you live in a dry climate. Calla lilies prefer an environment with about 40% relative humidity. If your air is drier than that, fill a shallow tray with smooth pebbles, then add enough water to the tray so the bottom is covered but the pebbles aren't totally submerged. Place your calla lily on top of the pebbles—as the water evaporates from the tray, it will moisten the air, helping your plant thrive.[6]
- Add more water to the tray every few days or whenever it dries out.
- You can also mist your calla lily with a fine spray of water every few days if you don't want to make a humidity tray.
- Alternately, you could run a cool-mist humidifier to keep the air in your home from drying out.[7]
- Fertilize your calla lily every 2 weeks with liquid fertilizer. Calla lilies require a lot of nutrients in their soil, so they do best with regular feeding. Choose a 5-10-5 or 5-10-10 liquid fertilizer, which contains 5% nitrogen, 10% phosphorous, and 5% or 10% potassium. These should be safe to use every other week during the growing season.[8] Follow the label instructions for how to apply the fertilizer—usually you'll mix them in water and pour the mixture onto the soil.
- Once your flowers have faded, stop fertilizing the plant.[9]
- Cut back the stems after your flowers fade. Eventually, the blooms on your calla lily will start to wilt and turn brown. When that happens, use shears to snip the flower stem close to the base of the plant.[10]
- This is mostly just for aesthetic purposes, so you don't have an unsightly dead flower or wilted stem in the middle of your plant.
- Repot your plant every 2 years or when it looks root-bound. Eventually, your calla lily will grow out of its pot. Choose a new pot that's just a little larger than the root ball. Lift the calla lily gently out of its old pot and carefully place it in the new pot. Fill the pot with a well-draining potting soil, and give the plant a little extra water for a few days after you replant it.[11]
- Take care not to damage the roots when you transfer the plant.
- Keep your calla lily out of the reach of kids and pets. Every part of your calla lily is toxic, from the rhizomes and roots to the leaves and flowers. If you have small children or pets who might try to eat the plant—or even just play with it—keep it on a high surface in an out-of-the-way place.[12]
- If a child or animal does put the calla lily in their mouth, you might notice drooling and swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat. They might also have stomach pain and diarrhea.
- Call poison control or seek emergency care if you suspect calla lily poisoning.
[Edit]Calla Lily Pests and Diseases - Cut back on watering or fertilizing if the leaves have dark tips. It can be hard to figure out exactly which one is causing the problem because the results look the same. However, if you've recently started fertilizing your plants more often (or you've switched to a new fertilizer), this could be the culprit. Same for if you've recently changed your watering schedule.[13]
- If you're still not sure, give the plant a little break from both fertilizing and watering. Wait until the soil is dry to about before you water it again, and skip fertilizing for 3-4 weeks.
- Check for spider mites if the leaves look gray. These tiny mites will feed on your calla lily, gradually causing the leaves to take on a yellowish-gray color. Luckily, it's pretty easy to remove these mites—just take the plant outside and spray the plant with water.[14]
- You might need to repeat this a few times if the mites reappear.
- Spray the plant with neem oil if you spot aphids. Aphids, also known as plant lice, are another pest that might feed on your calla lily. Aphids are tiny insects with soft bodies, and you will usually see them in clusters.[15] To prevent them, lightly spritz the leaves of your calla lily with neem oil every 1-2 weeks.[16]
- If you prefer, you can spray the plant once a week with insecticidal soap, instead.
- Destroy the plant if you notice stem rot or ring mosaic virus. These illnesses can spread to other plants, and there's no way to heal the plant once they form. Wear gloves and pull the plant up from its pot, then toss the whole plant in the trash. To be safe, it's probably best not to reuse the soil that the plant was in.[17]
- If your plant has stem rot, the stem will start to look soft and mushy, and your plant may start to lean over.
- If it has ring mosaic virus, you'll notice a yellow discoloration that looks like stripes or spots on the leaves and stems.
[Edit]Wintering Calla Lillies - Stop watering and feeding the plant each winter. This will give your calla lily a chance to rest for 2-3 months, and it's an important process if you want to keep your calla lily for more than one season. Give your plant a winter break even if you live in a climate where it doesn't get very cold. If you don't winter your plant, it won't bloom as well the next year, and it might not be as healthy overall.[18]
- Although you can stop fertilizing the plant as soon as the blooms wilt, it's best to gradually decrease how often you water the plant rather than stopping abruptly.[19]
- Cut the plants all the way down to the soil once they turn yellow. The cooler temperatures combined with the lack of water and food will cause your plant to wilt. Don't panic—that's actually what you're going for. Once the leaves turn yellow or brown and start to droop, use a sharp pair of shears to trim them all the way down to the soil.[20]
- Your plant will grow new, healthy leaves in the spring.
- Place the pot somewhere cool and dark. It's fine to leave the rhizomes in the pot after you cut the leaves back. Just put the whole container somewhere that will stay around , like a cellar.[21]
- Some gardening experts recommend adding just a little water to the soil every so often so the tubers don't dry completely out.
- Repot the rhizomes in fresh soil between January and March. Your calla lily will be healthiest if you replant the rhizomes—sometimes called the tubers—each year in the early spring. Pull the rhizomes out of the soil—they'll probably look like one big clump, but this is typically divided into several smaller sections, each with its own bud. Use sharp scissors to snip apart these individual rhizomes.[22] Then, replant the biggest rhizomes in fresh potting soil, as these will produce the strongest plants.[23]
- The buds, also called eyes, will look like a small pointed tip on the rhizome.[24]
- Even if you're planning to grow your calla lilies indoors, it's best to start them about a month before your last frost.
- If you don't divide the rhizomes, your calla lily will probably be too big for its pot. It might be less healthy as it grows, and it may have trouble standing upright.
[Edit]Potting the Rhizomes - Choose a diameter pot for a single bulb. This size pot will look nice with a single calla lily plant growing out of it. In addition, it will provide plenty of room for the roots to spread out.[25]
- If you want to plant more than one bulb in a single container, use a planter that's or larger in diameter.
- Make sure your container has drainage holes or the roots of your plant will become waterlogged and rot.[26]
- Use the same size pot whether you're planting a new calla lily bulb or you're replanting one you separated after wintering.
- Fill the container with potting soil that drains well. There are a lot of different combinations of potting soil you could use, but in general, it's best to start with one that has a peat moss base. These types of soil can stay moist without holding on to excess moisture that could rot the roots of your calla lily.[27]
- Try using a potting mix that's made of equal parts peat moss and perlite.
- Test the soil pH to make sure it's slightly acidic—between 5.5 and 6.5 pH—and adjust it if you need to.
- Place the calla lily rhizome in a hole deep. Dig a shallow hole with your fingers, then place the rhizome inside this hole with the bud facing straight up. Then, cover it with soil so the very top of the rhizome is just barely showing above the surface of the dirt.[28]
- Plant the largest, firmest rhizomes you have available—these will produce stronger, larger plants.[29]
- Usually, tubers will have one side that's round and one side that has a pointed bud.[30]
- Water the plant well after you pot it. Freshly-potted plants usually need a lot of water, and your calla lily is no exception. Give it a generous amount of water, but not so much that the water floods the pot.[31]
- Make sure the potting mix stays damp through the growing process.
- Keep the pot in a spot that stays between . The warmer temperatures will signal the plant that winter is over. Within about 2 weeks, you should see the first shoots starting to appear.[32]
- If the spot you chose doesn't get much sun, move the pot to a sunnier location once the shoots start to grow.
- Your calla lily should start to flower about 13-16 weeks after you repot the rhizome, depending on the type of plant you have and the general growing conditions.
- You may notice seeds on your plant in the fall. You can place these in moist soil if you want to try propagating a new plant, but success rates are usually low and it's much easier to grow calla lilies from the rhizomes.[33]
[Edit]References |
| How to Break an Egg with One Hand Posted: 26 Dec 2021 04:00 PM PST Professional cooks generally use one hand to break eggs as a means of saving time. However, doing so can also be a fun way to impress friends and family members. With practice, you can even start breaking two eggs at once! With these instructions and a little practice, you'll be a master in no time! [Edit]Cracking the Eggs - Hold your egg. Your thumb and first finger should be holding the small end, while your second and third fingers are pressing the other end against the heel of your palm.
- You may want to practice on top of a bowl or other container, just in case pieces of shell do make it into the final product.[1]
- Crack the egg in the center. Typically, you crack the egg against the top edge of the container you are about to put the contents into. You can also crack the egg against a flat surface, which some people find lessens the chance of the yolk breaking, and prevents eggshell surface bacteria from entering the contents.[2]
- Make sure the point of impact is between your thumb and first finger and the rest of the fingers.
- Open the egg. Hold the egg crack down above a pan or bowl. Separate the top half with your thumb, index and middle finger, while you hold the back half against your palm. The inside of the egg should drop out. If it doesn't, tilt your hand and try to open the shells wider with your fingers.
- Most people drop the egg yolk close to the pan or bowl, then pull it up rapidly as they continue to let it drop. This will help free the egg from the shell.
- Take care of the shells. If you are cracking many eggs, most people stack the top and bottom half of the shell and put it back in the container to discard later. Otherwise, you can throw them in a bowl or your sink. Remember that eggshells are also compostable!
- If some shell dropped in after you cracked the egg, you can remove it with a fork after discarding the rest of your shells.
- Practice making the motion fluid. Keep practicing until you can do it quickly. Try to do the steps faster and faster, until you can quickly crack the egg, separate the halves, and drop the yolk in one fluid motion.
- Practice with your non-dominant hand as well. That way, you can break eggs two-handed!
- Professional cooks often break eggs two at a time to cut preparation time from recipes, but you can do it to impress family members when you are making scrambled eggs.
[Edit]Practicing the Motions - Hold two ping pong balls together.[3] They should be sitting in the palm of your hand, with one in front towards your fingers, and the other behind.
- You can also use golf balls.[4]
- Place a quarter between the balls. Then squeeze the balls together to hold the quarter there. Your thumb, index and middle fingers should grasp one ball, while your other two fingers hold the other ball against the back of your hand. [5]
- Once the positioning of your fingers is right, you can flip your hand over, holding the balls like an egg that you would crack.
- Separate the front ball from the back. This motion should come from your first three fingers. Your pinkie and ring finger should be holding the back ball against your palm.
- In order to start the motion, think about your thumb pushing away from your hand and taking the ball with it.
- Sometimes looking away from the egg helps. This way you are not concentrating too hard and can develop your own "touch".
- If you are having trouble at first, try turning the egg and continuing the crack further around the egg, making it easier to pull open.
- You can remove broken pieces of egg shell with another larger piece of the same egg shell. Use one half of the split egg shell and the cracked edge to scoop out any unwanted pieces of egg bits.
[Edit]Warnings - Raw eggs can contain salmonella, so be sure to wash your hands and any surfaces that the raw egg comes into contact with.
- Keep a towel and disinfectant handy to clean up spills. This will help avoid contamination of other food products that may come in contact with the same surface.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References
[Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Play Rummikub Posted: 26 Dec 2021 08:00 AM PST Rummikub is a rummy-like game that you play with tiles instead of cards. The game consists of tiles in 4 colors. Each color has 2 sets of tiles from 1-13, so it's similar to playing with 2 decks of cards. You also have 2 joker tiles. To win the game, play all your tiles before anyone else does by making sets of groups and runs. [Edit]Setting up the Game - Choose a tile from the bag to see who goes first. Have every player choose tile. The person with the highest tile goes first. If there's a tie for first place, those players can draw again.[1]
- Flip and mix the tiles. Turn the tiles over so they're all face-down, and then use your hands to stir them up. This process randomizes the tiles, like shuffling cards.[2]
- You can also mix them in the tile bag if your game has one.
- Stack up the tiles in groups. Make the stacks as small or as tall as you want, though keep in mind that stacks that are too tall will fall over. Place the stacks in the middle of the table where everyone can reach them.[3]
- If your game has a tile bag, you can leave them in that instead of stacking them on the table. You just need a common pool of tiles to draw from.
- Give each player a tile rack and 14 tiles. The tile rack is where the player keeps their tiles. Begin with 14 tiles apiece, randomly selected from the tile bag or the stacks on the table.[4]
- Note that there are 4 different colors of each tile. The colors in Rummikub are orange, red, blue, and black. They act like card suits. You need matching colors to make certain sets, such as a run of consecutive numbers, and different colors to make other sets, such as a group of the same number.
[Edit]Starting the Game - Try to find 3 tiles of the same number in different colors on your rack. Create a set using tiles with the same numbers on them, which is called a "group." For instance, you might have 3 8s. The tiles must all be different colors, such as blue, black, and red. You can't play a group with a blue 8, a blue 8, and a black 8, for instance.[5]
- Find runs of 3 in the same color on your rack. A run is 3 consecutive numbers in a row, such as "7, 8, 9." When you make a run, all the tiles must be the same color, such as blue or black.[6]
- You cannot continue a run from 13 to 1. For instance, you can't play "13, 1, 2."[7]
- Begin with the first player and move in a clockwise direction. On your turn, you can draw a tile or play tiles. To play tiles, lay down a run or a group from your hand or play off other tiles on the table. However, you can only play tiles after you've made your initial meld.[8]
- To play, just lay the tiles down on the table in front of you. Once they're there, anyone can move them around and play off of them.
- Create your initial meld. The initial meld is the first time you lay down tiles on the board. You must have at least 30 points across one or multiple sets to make your initial meld. You can make groups, runs, or both for your initial meld.[9]
- You can't play off other sets on the board for your initial meld.
- You receive points based on the number on the tile. The color doesn't affect the number, so a blue 11 is worth the same amount of points as an orange 11. A joker is worth the number of points on the tile it's replacing.
- Play your turn within 2 minutes. The game has a time limit for each turn, as people can get caught up in manipulating the board. If you don't complete your turn in this time, you must return the tiles to their original positions, and take a tile from the pool for your turn.[10]
- Use the joker to replace any tile in the game. There are 2 jokers in the deck, and you can play it in place of any other tile. For instance, it can be a red 6 or a blue 13. You get to decide.[11]
- Be sure to use your joker because if you get caught with it in your hand at the end of the game, it counts for 30 points against you.
- Take a tile at the start of your turn if you can't play. You can't play if you are not ready to make your initial meld or if you can't join a hand on the table after your initial meld. In that case, pick up a new tile from the pool in place of your turn.[12]
[Edit]Playing off Tiles on the Table - Use at least one tile from your deck to manipulate the table. When you're changing sets on the board, you must take at least one tile from your hand to make the manipulation.[13]
- Add 1 or more tiles to a current set. The easiest way to play off a set on the table is to simply build off of it. You can add tiles to runs or groups, as long as you follow the basic rules of these sets.[14]
- For instance, if there's a run of "3, 4, 5" in blue, you can add a blue 2, a blue 1 and 2, a blue 6, a blue 6 and 7, a blue 2 and 6, etc. to continue the set.
- If there's a group of a red 6, blue 6, and black 6, you can add an orange 6. However, you couldn't add a blue, black, or red 6 unless you manipulate the set by taking a tile to build another set.
- Take a tile from a set of 4 to build a new set. If you see a tile on the table that you could use to build another set, you can take that tile, as long as you don't leave the old set incomplete. Then, play it with the tiles you have on your rack.[15]
- For example, if there's a set on the table that's a run of "5, 6, 7, 8" in red, and you need the red 8 to complete a set of 3 8s, you can take it. However, you couldn't take the 6 or 7, because that would leave the set incomplete.
- Add to and split a set to play tiles from your hand. Another way you can manipulate sets is to make the set larger so that you can split it. Then, you can take a tile from the set to make another set.[16]
- For example, if there's a run of "6, 7, 8" in blue, you can add a blue 5 to the run. Then, you can take the blue 8 to add to a red 8 and a black 8 to make another set.
- Split a run to play a duplicate tile. If you need to use up a tile that's already on the board in the middle of a run, split the run in half as long as it makes 2 complete sets of 3.[17]
- For example, if the run on the board is "8, 9, 10, 11, 12" in blue, and you have a blue 10, you can make the runs "8, 9, 10" and "10, 11, 12" instead.
- Split up more than one set to make new sets. You can manipulate the sets on the board any way you like, as long as you end up with complete sets at the end of your turn.[18]
- For example, say the board has "1, 2, 3, 4" in blue, "2, 3, 4" in red, and "2, 3, 4, 5" in orange. You can make a group of 2s, a group of 3s, a group of 4s, a run of "1, 2, 3" in blue (with tiles from your hand) and a group of 5s (with more tiles from your hand).
- Don't take tiles from a set with a joker. While you can add tiles to a joker set, you can't remove them while the joker is still in the set. However, you can replace the joker with the appropriate tile, and then use the joker in another set.[19]
- Rules from different versions vary on how you can reuse the joker. In some games, you may be able to pick up the joker only if you can use 2 tiles from you hand to form a new set with the joker.
- In other versions, you can split or manipulate a set with a joker. Check your game rules, or decide on a rule for your group.[20]
[Edit]Ending and Scoring the Game - Use all your tiles and say "Rummikub!" The game ends when any one person runs out of tiles. It's good to be the first one out, as you'll get a better score than other players.[21]
- Count up each players' remaining tiles for their score. Any tiles left on a players' rack contribute negatively to their score. Keep track of these numbers if you're playing multiple rounds of Rummikub.[22]
- For instance, if a player has the tiles 3, 5, 9, and 13 left, their negative score will be 30.
- Remember, a joker counts for 30 negative points.
- Add up all the other players' scores to get the winning player's score. Combine the negative scores of all the players. Take the negative away to create the winning player's positive score.[23]
- For example, if the other players got -30, -14, and -22, add those scores up to get -66. The winning player gets a positive score of 66.
- Play the game again, keeping track of each round as you do. Typically, you'll play more than one round of Rummikub. How many rounds you play is up to you, but you can keep track of scores across rounds to declare an ultimate winner for the game.[24]
- The player with the most points wins the game.
- Get rid of big numbers first so you're not stuck with those points at the end. If you get a joker, use it to help you play the bigger numbers more quickly.
[Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Celebrate Boxing Day Posted: 26 Dec 2021 12:00 AM PST Boxing Day, also known as St. Stephen's Day, is usually celebrated on the day after Christmas (December 26) in the United Kingdom and other countries with British roots. Although its origin is unclear, a popular theory is that it stems from the medieval practice of churches opening their collection boxes for the poor on this day, and so charity is an important theme to this holiday. Learn how you can incorporate this and other customs to celebrate a traditional Boxing Day. [Edit]Being Charitable - Volunteer for church functions. Find out if your church follows the tradition of collecting donations from the congregation and distributing them to the less fortunate on Boxing Day.[1] Ask if they need any assistance. If they do, donate your time.
- Donate your time elsewhere. Embody the spirit of charitability by giving and finding organizations who need volunteers for programs that day. Collect food and/or donations for a food drive.[2] Assist in a soup kitchen. Donate blood. Contribute to improving the lives of others.
- Plan ahead. Since charity is needed all year round, use Boxing Day to plan your calendar for the upcoming year. Search online for future events in which you could be of assistance. Plan a budget so you can donate to your favorite charities on a regular basis.
- Tip people who provide you service. If you haven't already, give a holiday bonus to your doorman, postal worker, delivery person, and anyone else who provides you with regular service.[3]
- Although this used to be a strong tradition that originated back when house servants lived onsite with their employers, offering holiday bonuses on Boxing Day itself has waned since carrying over to the modern era. Since many of the people you wish to tip may have the day off, be sure to tip them ahead of time.[4]
- Be a Wren boy. Buy a stuffed bird and a birdcage light enough to carry. Dress up in fancy women's fashion. Parade around town and ask for donations from passersby on the street, customers at pubs and restaurants, or by knocking on houses from door to door.[5]
- Originally actual wrens were hunted down and killed to use as props, but stick to using a stuffed bird instead to avoid upsetting people today.
- In earlier days, donations were usually collected to fund a dance on the same night. Although some localities might still have this tradition, many collections are now donated to charity.
- "Good King Wenceslas" is a popular carol that's specific to Boxing Day. The album "Bells of Dublin" by the Irish band The Chieftains also features three Boxing Day carols: "The St. Stephen's Day Murders," "The Arrival of the Wren Boys" and "A Wren in the Furze."
[Edit]Playing or Watching Sports - Join the fox hunt. Although killing the fox has been largely criminalized, the fox hunt still endures as a popular Boxing Day tradition. Don the red jacket, mount your horse, and participate in the legal substitute of flushing out foxes with your hounds (without killing the fox) or chasing a human substitute instead.
- Play football. Since football (or soccer, for you Americans) is such an important part of Boxing Day traditions as well as the overall culture of the countries that celebrate it, get out of the house and burn off some of those holiday calories. Organize a neighborhood pickup game. Challenge your family to a match. If you're on a league team, set up a match with a local rival.
- Attend games and races. Go to any one of the many horse races, soccer matches, and cricket matches scheduled on Boxing Day.[6] Don't worry about traveling; most teams make sure to play another that's nearby so neither the players nor their fans have to go too far from home.[7]
- Take a dip. Participate in one of many icy swims organized on Boxing Day. Wear something absurdly fancy, take a plunge into the winter sea, and win a medal for bravery while warming back up in front of a beach bonfire with all the other daring souls.[8] Many of these events raise money for charity, so consider it a good deed done!
[Edit]Spending Time with Friends and Family - Visit family. If your extended family is too large for you to see everyone on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, use Boxing Day to include them in your holidays. Have a formal holiday feast or keep true to the more relaxed spirit of Boxing Day and have a simpler get-together.[9]
- Popular food served as a Boxing Day meal includes leftover Christmas turkey served as sandwiches or another full meal, or alternately a cold ham or roast beef served as a buffet to minimize prep and cooking.[10] In the UK and Canada, many restaurants welcome large parties for Boxing Day carveries, or buffets serving roast meats carved to order.
- Spend time with friends. If you've already checked family off your list of holiday duties, feel free to make Boxing Day a time to spend with friends instead. Go to a sporting event or watch one at the local pub. Or just hang out together at someone's home.[11]
- Keep it casual. Put the formality of the holidays behind you. Host a potluck where everyone's free to get rid of their leftovers. Make it a pajama party if you want to make it even less formal and more inviting. Tune into the football marathon on TV, zone out, and be merry.[12]
- Go on an outing. Since sports and exercise are such a large part of Boxing Day, stay in the spirit and have the whole family get some exercise. Use this extra time together to go for a long hike through the woods or walk through the streets.[13]
- Attend a pantomime. Take the young kids to see this family-friendly piece of lively theater based on fairy tales, which is traditionally performed on Boxing Day. Sing along with the musical numbers and interact with the performers onstage.[14]
[Edit]Shopping - Chase the sales. Take advantage of the more modern tradition of stores opening the day after Christmas, offering deep discounts. Go to larger chain stores and shopping malls, since smaller shops are more likely to remain closed for the holiday.[15]
- Check the store's hours for Boxing Day ahead of time, since they may stick to a Sunday schedule regardless of what day of the week it is, or open even earlier than normal.
- Arrive early since lines may form outside before stores open.
- Stay true to Boxing Day's roots. Since charity is considered to be an important aspect of the holiday, use the discounts to shop for others who may lack the means to afford even these sales. For example, buy coats, blankets, and other winter gear for the homeless.
- Make it a family trip. Retain some of the holiday spirit and make it an outing for the whole family. Include gift cards among your other Christmas presents to family so they can spend them the day after. Build a tradition of your own around the annual sales.[16]
- Although Boxing Day is generally thought of as the day after Christmas (December 26th), the holiday is observed on the following Monday if the 26th happens to fall on the weekend.[17]
- If you are in a country that celebrates Boxing Day as a legal holiday, remember that banks and government offices will be closed and public transportation may run on limited schedules.
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