The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-12-27
New Years 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 Che
day upon which it was ushered in; but,
among the early Christians, the observ-
ance of New-Year's eve partook SO di-
rectly of the ceremonials of Christmas
that it may be considered a projection
on the same plane. New Years eve was
a 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
Gent and peculiar custom on this even
ing in England was for young women to
go from door to door with awassail bowl
Of spieed 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
d0WceatrS 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
Husbands and wives by streaks to chuse;
Of cracking laurels, which foresounds
plenteous harvest to your grounds;
ao4%o1r0 ceo-ronc ~vvo,,0 80
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 -tbe word was
sail being derived from the ancient
Anglo Saxon, qV0e8 hazel, which means
'be in health" and this the same as
the "Gossip's Bowl Of Shakspeare's
Midsummer Nights Dream, 2 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. It 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 in 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 by
Herrick:
Stand fast root. bear well top,
Pray God send us good bowling crop;
| Every twig, apples big;
Every bough, apples enow;
Hats full, caps full,
Full quarter-sacks full.
The following superstirious indica-
tions from the vino on New-Year's eve
are still accredited in the highlands of
Scotland:
If New-Year's eve night~wind blow south.
1t betokeneth warmth and growth:
If west, much milk, and fish in the sea
III north much cold and storms there Will be:
If east, the trees will bear much fruit:
If southeast, fee it man and brute
The custom OF watching the old year
out and the new year in seems peculiarly
a practice of Christians, and is most
specially observed by the Methodists.
The hours devoted to this exercise are
generally employed in prayer, singing
and exhortation, chiefly in a review Of
life in the past and resolves for greater
purity of heart and manner in the fu
ture. Watch-night, on New Years eve
is still observed By the more rigorous O.
Methodists, both in England and thil
country, though as a religious exercise
among this sect Of Christians it is ia.
from being universal, and is general,