Christmas lights at Mousehole harbour, Cornwall, England
© ianwool/Getty Images
Boxing Day - The holidays continue
As the last notes of Christmas carols linger in the air, Boxing Day arrives. This day is celebrated in the United Kingdom, Canada and several Commonwealth countries. In the past, it was customary for the wealthy to give boxes filled with gifts to their servants on the day after Christmas. The tradition evolved into a day for charitable giving to the less fortunate. Today, while the spirit of giving remains, it has transformed into a holiday about enjoying bustling sales and a lineup of soccer matches.
Let's visit the harbour of Mousehole, a fishing village in Cornwall, England, to keep the merriment going. Featured in today's image, Mousehole harbour is known for its Christmas illuminations. The Mousehole lights were first lit in the early 1960s, thanks to local artist Joan Gillchrest. A few humble strings of lights soon turned into a full-blown spectacle, growing over the years to include iconic scenes, nautical motifs and Cornish themes. Today, the lights, switched on from December until early January, span the entire harbour, wrapping buildings, boats and even the water's edge in a soft glow.