The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-25
CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEARS
Peculiar characteristics Of Their OBJ
servance in Different Countries.


New Years day does not, as one would
be apt to suppose, necessarily fall upon the
| first day of January. In France, in the mid
/ die ages. the year began with Easter. In
4 Russia it begins on the 18th of January; in
| China, it is the list of February; with the
| Israelites the 1st Of September, with the
Hindoos the springtime. while with the Mo-
| hammedans it has no fixed date. The date
varies with many nations, so that, in fact,
/ tho first day of the year is somewhat
| of a question. In all countries and at
/ all times it signifies the same thing and is
/ always of an especial character; always
| there is the ringing out of the old year, who.
| bent and sorrowful, goes reluctantly to join
| his predecessors; and the ringing in of the
new year, who enters Respondent with glory
| and beauty, with sincere wishes and gifts
to friends and relatives, with all manner
| of amusements which continue as long
| time as possible Everywhere New Years
| day signifies joy and pleasure. But accord
| ing to the time of year and also to the
| character of the people its aspect greatly
varies and appears to us as the best mani
| festation of the mind of the nation; SO that,
| in reality, this ancient and time-worn Gus
| tom is always novel and entertaining, the
| source of never-ending observation, bound
less treasure of various and interesting
| documents For this reason we should not
allow the first day of the year to pass by
without glance at the history of that time
| in the olden days.
1t is interesting to read Of the customs of
| the time in England, Russia, France, Ger
many, Belgium, Norway, Sweden. Denmark,
| Spain, Italy and even in nations with which
we are less familiar. Before speaking of the
| &c To m W
about the manner in which the ancients
| celebrated their New Years day and Christ
| mas.
| The Egyptian year conceded with the flow
| of the Nile, at the time when Osiris, the
| Egyptian God of Prosperity, forced combat
| with Typhon, the God of Drought. The
| name of the first month of the Egyptian
| year was Thot" 1t was toward the mid
| die of this month that the Egyptians cele-
| brated their New Years day; for them 1T
was the commencement of a new and better
| season for the crops. They made presents
| of honey and figs, but never partook OF them
without saying Gentle and charitable is
perfect truth" Denderah was the city
where the festivals were the most magnifi-
cent At Tyre, in honor of the new year
a perpetual fame was burned upon par
| ticular altar in the temple OF the god NAL
karth.
The Persians opened the year with "Nou-
rouz," which was an especial feast in honor
of the New Year. The Jews chose the first
day of the seventh month of the religious
year, which was called "Tiz," and corre-
spends to our September, for their New
Years day. A festival, both worldly and
Aschana,' or head of the year, was given
on that day. 1t is still celebrated by the
Israelite communities of different countries,
who try to continue far as possible the
customs of their ancestors After an inter
esting but long religious ceremony the fam
lily, relatives and friends united for repast
Above the table was suspended a lamp
which the Isrealites must light every Friday
night. Fruits sprinkled with honey were
served emblems of gentleness. Then
gifts were exchanged which were also dis
tributed among children and servants. The
Abdala'' ended the feast; the head OF the
house filled a cup with wine, read a few
passages from the prophets and wished
prosperity to all; he then blessed the wine
nails to indicate that the meal was ended
and that work was to recommence. They
separated by saying: May you be inscribed
With the ancient Greeks the first month
was called "Hecatombeon'' and correspondent
Apollo to call forth his blessing upon the
year to come. On the first day of Hecatom-
boon the rich people had tables covered with
food placed in front of their houses, and
during the night the poor came and par
took of it. The month continued by the
feast of Panathenaea, which was the great
est Of Athenian festivals and was celebrated
in honor of Minerva or Athene. With the
Romans the year, which began with the
winter under Numa. "Anna Perenna" was
the goddess asked to protect the new year.
The first month was called ,Januarius;
with the first cock s crow on the first day
the doors of the houses were ornamented
with garlands, fruits and flowers. Presents
were then sent which consisted especially of
branches of olive trees A custom which be-
gan under Tatius and which was continued
under the ancient kings was one OF send
ing branches cut from the sacred woods of
Strenna to the magistrates. Later on these
presents, ''strenae," consisted of dates,
honey and fgs; later still were ADDED terra
Gotta medallions, silver medals and brass
money. Calls were also in great favor the
people never failed to make them and to
accompany them with best wishes; on that
day everyone donned absolutely new gar
ments. At the present day in Rome all work
ceases on the Gath of December The Ital-
ians all wish each other a "buona festa'
and I'll buon amo." If one is so unfortunate
as to meet monk, an ugly girl lame
man he will have a bad year; If, on the
contrary, one meets a pretty girl or little
child he will enjoy prosperous year. The
first day of their civil year, which corre-
spends to our LIST of January, is called III
capo d'anno' and is also day of exchang
ing gifts and greetings. On the 9Th and
9Th of January. the celebrated Befano, or
toy fair, is held.
With the Gauls the new year began with
the winter solstice. Upon the sixth day of
the lunation preceding the winter solstice
the Druids went to the land of Carmites
to take part in the ceremony celebrated by
the pontiff of their order in honor of the
mistletoe. They were accompanied by the
poets. An immense crowd followed calling
out for THE mstletoe of the new year,!
When it had been found they cut it with a
golden sickle during the sixth night of the
moon following the winter solstice when the
year began An altar was raised near an
oak tree, one Druid climbed the tree and
cut the misletoe. Great feasts followed this
symbOlical festival.
Now comes the church for which the date
of the religious year is fixed the 18th of
December, Christmas the anniversary of
the birth of Christ. In the middle ages
Christmas the official date for the be-
ginning Of the year. The kings prcfited by
the event for holding magnificent reunions
at their courts. They had hunts tourna-
ments and feasts. All of the kings house
hold were given new clothes called Christ
mas garments" which enabled them to APP
pear at this occasion of solemnity suitably
arrayed. The people were given presents
which they received with the cry Of 'Christ-
mas! Christmasr' Until the middle of the
sixteenth century Easter was the real New
Years day; greetings were exchanged and
Easter eggs given. Easter was the begin
ming OF the civil year. The date of Jan l.
however, entered into the Christmas holt
days and soon was accepted as the begin
ming of the year. Among the French since
the fifteenth century the 1st of January or
New Years day. has been the day for the
exchange of gifts and greetings under
Charles TX it became a fixed date from the
religious as we'll as from the civil stand
point. 1t is the day of the year when
one sees the boulevards and streets of Paris
thronged with beggars, who besiege you for
q sou, the one day when no one has "A
right to them I