Today is a pubic holiday in Australia and many Commonwealth Countries, but what is Boxing Day and what are we celebrating.  According to Wikipedia "It was the day when people would give a present or Christmas 'box' to those who have worked for them throughout the year. This is still done in Britain for postmen and paper-boys - though now the 'box' is usually given before Christmas, not after."  This is what I understand it to mean.

In Australia I think it is more an excuse to recover from Christmas Day and to watch sport, either the Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race from Sydney of the cricket from Melbourne.  

Christmas this year was a real joy for my Wife and I as it was the first Christmas with our four month old Son Bailey.  Christmas just seemed more special this year.  Bailey had a lovely day and was the star of Christmas Lunch.

Boxing Day in Sydney means the start of the Sydney-to-Hobart Yacht Race.   The Sydney-to-Hobart is one of the toughest yacht races in the world.   The 628 nautical miles race always starts in Sydney on Boxing Day as the fleet charges down the harbour with thousands of spectators watchings from craft on the water and from headlands around the harbour.  

This year 78 yachts entered the race randing from massive maxi yachts at 98ft to the smallest yacht at 30ft.   The Sydney-to-Hobart is stepped in tradition.  This is the 62nd time the race has been run with the first race held in 1945.  My Grandfather entered the 5th race in 1950 and took over 9 days to complete the race.  The maxi yachts now do it in just over 2 days.

Here are some photos I took today from North Head as the fleet charged down the harbour.