Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-01-05
NEW YEARS. DAY CUSTOMS,
Peculiar Cbscrvanccs In DIfcrcu
(OMntries-E'hO Giving of PrCscnis

Peculiar Gbscrvanccs In Different
Coun'ries-s'i,c Giving OF Presents.
Like the customs of Christmas, which,
IN their origin, are Il curious mixture of
poetry and mysticism. Of symbolism and
superstition, those that belong to the OBJ
servance o, New Years Day are also to n
large extent relics of usages and ideas
that date from early heather ages.
In France, New lcal S presents play an
important part The French derive their
term for these presents. ctrcNnes, from
the Latin wo:d .NircHiu, the name of
goddess whom the Romans venerated as
the patronrss OF gifts. There was a grove
IN Rome dedicated to the goddess, where
1t was customary to get fresh twigs to
give with presents to friends and relatives
on New Years Day. At first tue pres
ents consisted only of figs, dates and hon
ey, which we're intended to represent the
sweet and pleasant elements of life but
they soon became more valuable and
costly. During the sway Of the Empe-
rors, Roman subjects made New Years
gifts to their sovereign. Augustus re-
celved such quantities of these that he
had gold and silver statues made of them
llberius dld away with the usage, be-
cause he considered it too Troublesome to
APi''' 'i'"ilN9 t"i .he SHts. CailSula,
1 VI 'i'e contrary, Ieihtrouuceuthec custom,
.HV "i'!''' up ior MS predecessor refusal
~, H. i'Ie1I iI'seli's "y requiring tnose
my il"u nceh oileieu 10 nm 10 De given
u M ri'lisell us arfeafaSes:
ihe custom oi making New Years
press 1t, was continued after Europe be-
came Christiam1ed, For time present.
inai inahin3 M"s 'i"h'iefreu 10 Easter, but
"a lf'et =. M"' "5'.'I' "Ssoci"tea WIN the LIST
VI ""n't,i!. AZ one tliiie IN france there
was sreH' eHtT"Nagahce IN the custom. In
lhe reign ol LOUIS AlN. on the lst OF
'"h""lH, l"'N, Miile tie. Montespan re-
ceiScu " cup oi goiS' set with emeralds
"l', ui''llo,l'S' nesiues Two goblets, fur
hished With covers that were likewise
studded with precious stones. At present
etfe""t% mos' frequently consist III France
Oh s"te'lAea'S t'sielully arrayed III hand
soilie poAc9 OF III vases, Dronzes, rare
Po,Gellih' OF o'ilcF WORKS OF art
Many lht' fos'ihS customs had their
oliSlii III We curry days ol the German
PeoPie' "i'p MH"in tne winter solstice
w"s "i"tNa hlSh festival IN Noight-
lahu' uiS]ftc' III oHNoiy' maidens are
'cc"stoh'eu 70 "'iN on New Year Eve
nuG 'ii'! Pie''i 'le iiour oil inidhight-in
Ie'siot ioohS Vi s"faehS' ana shake trees,
or leilcP- P-plche'"' or even "asli-poles, and
l"'tJ |". tneli l"Vuie lovers ana
~ i,I'; V'iuGtioh ,: 'ney theh near
u.,5 ~ "il'S VI " uoE, OF nlly
In i'i"i huT U' S,un1h loiSe' ifoih that
"t1u'I2'i ~, W.. W. w. overcome:
n ave-" i."i y w. IN II Is isiso called,
~ 'H' il'iuen Oh Mecklen-
p"is, "i'i ~ "''N 'uineu 10 'ie door,
.iioWS t h supper over hef mead 1t the
1"ar tIe VI ine iuiirn supper points to the
door, she leaves the house during the
sI,,om,ns sba Fent 10 go ih'o service II not,
"iI IT, iti,,",',1 ti" ,',1,''t,i II. iioihe.
in 'nu al't,'seS near the Nosges noun.
l,'' ."iu i"'Su .'e Weil-'l'iice was general
tii ou1,I'i i' iot'i vi my years ago, and may
S,''t nv I,"'i,u" 81 many Pinces Early
sara on III ~ ii,Gii,Lns VI ne" Tears Day, be-
lore @ .,ne I,'sihs ol 'iie chufch bells, the
ui,,"iii'u ,,TI I' fo"ns women oil village
s wouiu ;'''iJS around lle running well or
,oum'''n VI 9ne p'"ce, "hich they had