The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-12-28
NeW.Year'S Eve Customs.

Previous to the spread of Christianity
we find very little, comparatively, re-
corded of the observance of the coming
of the new year, and nothing specially
in regard to the evening preceding The
day upon which it was ushered in; but,
among the early Christians, the observ-
ance of New Years eve partook so di-
rectly of the ceremonials of Christmas
that it may be considered projection
on the same plane. New-Year's eve was
period of feasting and merry-making,
although Bacchanalian in character, and
involving as much fun and frolic as
could be manufactured out of resources
at hand, or tolerated license. An an
cient and peculiar custom on this even
ing in England was for young women to
go from door to door with wassail bowl
of spiced ale, singing songs suited to
the day and their expedition; and, for
this congratulatory exercise, which was
accepted as wish for the health, happi-
ness and prosperity of those they de-
lighted to honor, they were accorded
dOuceUrs in proportion to the estimate
of the pleasure received or the health of
the recipients. In allusion to this GUS
tom, in Herrick's Hesperides," we
read:
OF Christmas sports. the Wassell Boule,
That tost up after Fox-i the-hole
OF blind-man-buffe, and of the care
That young men have to shoe the mare;
OF ash-heapes, in the which ye use
Husbands and wives by streaks to chuse;
OF cracking laurels which foresounds
A plenteous harvest to your grounds;
indicating certain games that were en-
tered into on the occasion, with the good
wishes for the future year understood
The wassail bowl, or cup, indeed, of
New-Year's eve was considered the
health bowl; and in the drink con
tanned there were exchanged pledges,
such as are now exchanged in glasses of
wine at convivial dinners-the word was
sail being derived from the ancient
Anglo Saxon, oOdes hazel, which means
"be in health ;" and this the same as
the "Gossip's Bowl of Shakspeare's
Midsummer Nights Dream, the COM
position of which was all with sugar,
toast and roasted crab or other apples,
seasoned highly with nutmeg-a mixed
beverage not unlike the apple-toddy of
our present festivities. 1t was not I'M
usual in those times that the wassail
bowl or cup, borne around by the young
maidens, was adorned with ribbons and
garlanded with flowers and golden APP
pies, derived doubtless from the old
pagan fashion of the wine-cup.
Apple-bowling, or wassailing the APP
pie orchards, practice that for many
years obtained generally in England, is
still said to be customary in Sussex,
Devon, and elsewhere i'll that country.
This is accomplished by troop of boys,
who visit the orchards of their neigh
bors, and, encircling the apple trees, re-
peat the following words, as given 10y
Herrick:
Stand fast root. bear we'll top,
Pray God send us a good bowling crop;
Every twig, apples big;
Every bough, apples enow
Hats full, caps full,
| Full quarter-sacks full.
The following superstitious indica-
tons from the wind on New-Year's eve
are still accredited in the highlands OF
Scotland
If New-Year's eve night-wind blow SOUTH
IL betokeneth warmth and growth;
| If west, much milk, and fish in the sea:
If north, much cold and storms there will be;
If east the trees will bear much fruit;
If southeast, flee IL man and brute.
The custom of watching the old veal
out and the new year in seems peculiarly
a practice of Christians, and is mos
specially observed by the Methodists
The hours devoted to this exercise ar,
generally employed in prayer, singing
and exhortation, chiefly in a review O
life in the past and resolves for create
purity of heart and manner in the flu
ture. Watch-night, on New-Year's eve
is still observed by the more rigorous o
|. / - D1 90 ~, u.
country, though as a religious exercis
among this sect of Christians it is ia
from being universal, and is general