National Republican., 1876-01-01
NEW YEARS FANCY LORE.
faE CusfeIs OF ALL NATIONS.
SINGULAR CoaCEIfS AND SBPERsFITIuNs.
BLONDE FEnALEs---pARk-HlIRED MEN.
SONGS OF THE HoGMANNAY.
Literature OF the Dsy-OId-Time Gus
toms-scenes and Incidents I'm all
Countries-America Celeorations-
Curious Information.

Literature OF the Day-OId-Time Gus
toms-scenes and Incfdents I'm all
Countries-American Celebrations
Curious Information.
The grand old Romans, who first celebrated with
unlimited splendor the opening Of the year as we
recognize it, worshiped as the deity of the New
Year a very cunning but quite disagreeable god
| called Janus, who was endowed with two faces
the one beholding the closing, the other regard
ing the dawning year, with philosophical non
chdlance as to events of both. He was also wor-
SHIPPED as presiding over the beginning Of all
yearly business. In 1854 Charles the Ninth
dained the change from old style New Year to its
commencement on January /, in France. The
English adopted January as the New Yeas in
PRODUCTION, in honor of the coronation of William
the Conqueror and from that time until as late as
1752 both old stylo 70. S.) and new style IN. 81
were to be distinguished in civil and legal usages
and parlance, the law not having adopted the
change until then, thereby causing great practical
This continued until March Is, 1752, when the
style y H6sss aSS aoSd
STA in 1900 Scotland had preceded these countries
by q century, having adopted the new style in
tribes Of the East celebrated the first day of Their
new year with holocaustS OF animals, and with oe
ings of wheat and honey to Jehovah. The dawn
severe labor was allowed the people.9
THE CREEKS
regarded the first day of their first month as
devoted to general rejocings after the sacrifices
| and ceremonies expiatory ana propltiatory with
which the closing year had been rendered
gloomy.
January was celebrated with many civil andre
iigious Ceremonies To the goddess, Juno patron
ess of the day, new wine and fresh frank incense
| were offered and white steers for success.
nars1f ffa rarn urnll
| Romans and sprigs of green veryain were every
where presented as good omen. The Romans
stTeauG or sfren3G, a word derived from the god
| dess Strenud, strength, in whose sacred groves
| grew the yeryain referred to. The French ex-
tract from it the word Of like meaning, strenues
| various and homely were the early gifts ex-
| changed among the Republican Romans. Fruits
and ns hmss
were frequent among old Roman offerings at New
Years.
reigned socially the presents of New Year became
| rich and beautiful as wealth and art could make
them. Favor and patronage were solicited then,
to superiOrs and controllers by subordinases and
clients in
ARTICLES ON VALUE PRESENTED.
Jewelry, statues, vases and all the list OF vertu
were given, some Of which are among the relics
discovered within the last century by travellers,
recognized by inscriptions. "Annum norun1 fdus-
fum feiicemgue tibi' was the salutation and fire.
Ne% Year Sas re-
garded as '.fee of fate" for success during the
entire year, and prosperity was courted by COM
mencng work on that day and laying 1t aside.
No Roman would lend anything upon the day,
nor permit neig hbor to bring either fire or iron
from his house Among the & ancient lent, PerGians a1
Gided and many-colored eggs were common
among their gifts, which seems In some circuitous
The commencement of the solar new year is ceIe-
brated by the people Of Prussia with agricultural
t9S PeGSs Of
monies are observed. The Emperor of China,
'brother Of the sun and moor" /" himself performs
the year is announced by an astrologer, and for
three days previous none venture beyond the
threshold of home, fearing the infiction of some
of the myriad Ills which invading genii and de-
mons bear with them for the destruction of the
unwary. Attempts at propitiation Of these evil
fairies are made by placing outside the doors
PIG's HEAD AND VESSEL OF ARRAcK.
Many slamese wind about their dwellings un-
spun cotton thread blessed by the priests, and re-
main closely within doors until night, when they
offer roasted rice, perfumes and other incense to
ace is wonderfully fortified against the wiles of
malifcent beings, being wound with seven thou
sand balls Of thread, with seven f6res by priests
day itself brought relief, security, rejoicing and
festivities most unlimited. The Chinese devote
ali business and personal affairs. All debts are
paid, all bargains closed, and sorry Is the debtor
who passes the years last sunset still in the tolls
Among the terrible vsitants who dispense evils
among the incautious On that day in the belief of
the Chinese is one who infiicts smallpox upon the
most beautiful children, who may be seen with
marks concealing their comely features and
fourishing rude lanterns to frighten the evil
spirits away. Before midnight every family is
induced with fresh clean clothes, and prepara-
tions are everywhere made to offer sacrifice to
and o 81
Vegetables ten cups Of tea and ten cups of wine.
two red candles, three sticks ofordinary and eof
fragrant incense.
TEN PAIRS OF cHorsTIcKs
and cedar branches are placed in the sills Imita-
tion money, like gold and silver coins, and q red
string sustains above an almanac Of the coming
year Fire-crackers are discharged at the doors,
and pafreS families, bowing and kneeling, set
fire to the false money and burn the fragrant in
cense. The Penates are much worshiped, yegeta-
and and candies are freshly placed on the tables and
the ceremonies repeated. -
Every husband pays respects to his wifes rela-
tions wherever they may be, but general calls
may be postponed. Universal privilege of enjoy
ment and unrestrained rejoicing endures from the
China bands Of musicians and singers make en-
tertainment everywhere, and out Of respect to the
good gods thousands eat no meat during the first
month. 1t Is estimated that even ninety out Of
every hundred SO abstain. Some assert that the
festivities among the higher classes continue
az ynskx SrS To e1pend moneV for Spy
thing but candies, comflts, meats, sc.
The mysterious old Druids, who derive their
very name from the glorious old trees they wor-
SHIPPED, attended the opening Of the year with SOL
emn ceremonies. Pliny, who seems to have
known more than any man Of his time about
whatever grew on an oak tree was sent from
heaven. The mistletoe was not easily found, and
monies, especially at the sixth day Of the moon
the date at which commenced their months and
cycles of thirty years-and because peculiar
property was attributed to the moon at that time.
Mistletoe means In Druidic language all heal,
and It was plucked with golden knife and re-
bulls were bound BY their horns to the tree: The
bulls then being slain with full ceremony and
supPlicatons, constituted the Druids' New Years
THE PRIEST OF THE DRuIDs,
clad in snow.white garments, and "bound as to
his brows," with fllet ofvervain and the golden
sickle himself and often offered human sacrifice
parasitic mistletoe to the physician Of the tribe
for medical uses. Druids OF Britain and Of France
alike sacrificed to the New Years deities. The
vervain and the mistletoe both were sanctifed to
the meanings of immortality and the efficacy Of
superhuman healing. Among the old Hindoos,
the day Of the New Years dawn Is and has from
remotest recorded time been celebrated with gen.
erous festivities All businesses fully adjust
ed, all debts paid on that day. Pitchers of gold,
silver, or earthenware are offered to the deities
and names of their ancestors. The women deyout-
ly wash the idols and the sacred cows, and each
male guest, whose head she anoints Flowers
prevail among gifts to ta:h other among tue Hin.
docs. ......- 60. -. q. D.
1.-THE ancient Romans were the originators of
the custom Of presenting gifts of affection and
courtesy on New Years Day, the old Saxons seem
also to have known and practiced such custom.
Kings and queens of remote reigns were recp-
ents ofriehest offerings on the occasion; and the
nature CT the gins among friends exchanged,
varied and still varies as the national tastes dis
agree. In China and japan -.-
ORANGES HAVE MOST DESIRABLE SIGNIFICANCE
as gifts, as they were among the old English. and
accredited with and DreSeryatiye 0nalifiaS
In Venice, books whose value and worth are ex-
ternal. constitute the favored presents. In Paris
bon bons chiefly affected either In costly shape
gloves were the most desidegated tokens Of REGARD
among the English three hundred years ago, when
pins and gloves were go seldom seen, as we know.
rn-rS. SILVER and lockwood pins the rich used;
skewers we:e used by the poor.
The terms 'pin msneyh and "gloye money"
hence arose, many accepting sums Ct money to be