The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-01-01
How the New Year Was
Il Ushered in.
And the Way CINCINNATI is Spend
ing the First Day.
Very Little Business, But Fine
Weather, and q Time of
General Social En-
jOyment.

The old English, semi -Druidical custom
Of prolonging the festivities begun on
Christmas Eve December 24th) n Twelfth
Night January 6thl has fallen into disuse
even in Great Britain. In this country it.
never could be said to have legitimately
prevailed, although Virginia and Maryland,
which borrowed many Of their social GUS
torhs from the cavaliers Of England, as did
the Puritans Of New England from those of
tbe English PuritanA had faint reflection
Of the ancient spirit In the holiday univer-
sally accorded TO the slaves from Christmas
Day to New Years:
The South, which borrowed with the in
stitutions of Virginia most Of her social
prejudiees and habits, adopted this custom,
ana up to the disappearance Of slavery nm
defthe stern logic Of our late civil war
Christmas week was generally regarded as
more less holiday for everybody, but
Christmas Day was the holidsy par excel
lerce nevertheless Abroad. especially In
Paris. Christmas has little significance ex-
cent as religious: festival; but New Years
is PARTICULARLY the great day Of the year
"a jour de ranl and what Christ
ms is to the German New Years
ist to the Parisian-that is day
for tho present making (strennesA and your
true Frenchman is poor indeed who does
mot find means to offer some memento
however trifing to his intimate friends
The matter Of New Years calls. at present
popular in this country, appears somehow
to be an ofshoot of the French social
habit Of presenting cards on that day to
those friends whom it is desired TO con-
tinue to know or be known to. Instead,
however, as with US, of making the call in
person, the gentleman's visiting card is en-
closed in an envelope and sent by tTusty
messenger to the residence Of the pers,n
to whom it is desired to offer the
politeness. The really pleasant Gus
torn Of personally paying ones
respects to acquaintances on New
YeAr's.which has been practiced with us
now for several years has been very much
abs.sed and has narrowly escaped being
bafished altogether from the nSages Of
sensible people; bu. sensible people have
apparently thought it bitter to reform its
defects than to condemn it altogether.
Among the modern code Of ethics which il
recognized as governing the matter of who
shall make New Years calls and on whom
to call it is a rule that gentlemen should
not presume to present themselves on New
Years Day to any ladies whom they arc not
entitled to call upon on any other day;
where a lady is assisted by other ladies an
acquaintance with any one Of those who
are receiving entities the caller to be re-
ceived by all. although he may not be per
sonally known to the lady at whose house
the call is made.
usHER1NG IN THE NEW YEAR.
The balls given last night were perfectly
orderly, and pleasant time was spent al
all the halls.
The balls given were by the Knights Of
st. Joseph, at the Lytle Crews Armory
1t Turner Hall, BY the Harugari M@nner
cbor; at the Germania Building, OF
Twelfth and Walnut streets, bv the Cincin-
Inati Orpheus, and at the Hall, Ninth anG
Walnut streets, by the Cincinnati M~n
nSat Turner Hal, the Druid Smnpercho,
had a Christmas tree rattle. Msssrs r
K;rst n Zimmermann. VIM. FenstAr
r,scher. X. Kuehnle and T. III. A. Muller
being the Committee on Arrangements
The little ones we're all made happy.
The balls given at Mozart and Greenwood
Halls last night for the benefit Of Tho
orphans. was we'll patronized. and tn,
vonne folks eniUyed the mazy dane,
highly. The tables were also we'll patron
tized. The children's Christmas Festlva
was held on "Wednesday, New Years Eve
Ct Lawrence-street Welsh Congregatona
Church, and the little ones were repre-
+ sented IN goodiy numoem ,lney seemed
70 enjoy themselves 10 the 1uflest exten
OF the word. The meeting was enhvenec
by good singing ana speaking, ana on
great Item OF interest was the presence o
their new pastor, Aev. MI: Jones, formerly
| OF Conner, Allen County, ONO; stii
, another very interesting feature OF tne al
fair was the presentation OF = pcentiIl
eold-headed cane 70 Mr stephen Richard
BY ms Bible Class as smsn sestamon1a
q tneir very h,sn regard Ior MN. q
mas osen 'sacner 10 sne same class sh.sS tnss
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