Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-12-31
~ CELEBRATED under more IA
vorabIe meteorological auspices

~ CELEBRATED under more IA
yorable meteorological auspices
~ than in snowy America. New
Years day is even more OF a
holiday In Japan than il Is here. In
the nowery empire. where anniver-
saries and jubflees are rs many AZ
saints days In the Roman Catholic cal
endar, the dawn OF the new year il
the browning festival II takes all De
cember to get ready for IL and half Of
January TO properly observe its cere-
monies. The whole nation piunges in
to a general house cleaning. Merchants
settle their accounts and restock their
stores. debtors liquidate their obliga-
lions. the Japanese wives renovate
their establishments and wardrobes
from top to bottom and IL they have
any odd moments left utilize them in
baking rice cakes, every doorway Is
decorated with evergrcens. and every
man. woman and child appears on New
Years day in the streets I'm holiday cos
tune. New Years day. too. with the
Japanese takes the place OF our Christ
mas. and every friend must be provid-
ed with gift.
Formerly. following the Chinese
reckoning of the seasons, Japan cele-
brated the new year toward the end
Of February. with the spring revival
and awakening OF nature. but with the
westernization Of the empire the CHI
nese calendar has joined the daimios
and the samurai In the limbo of the
past. Since 1873 the Japanere New
Years day has been one with ours. the
list Of January.
The Japanese. old and young. rise at
dawn on New Years day To welcome
the rising sun and thus to gain the
good will Of that orb and of fortune for
The ensuing year. Almost everything
In their celebrations lis symbolic. even
TO tie decorations at the house doors.
To the right OF the entrance stands a
red stemmed pine. signifying woman;
to the left black pine. meaning man.
Together they symbolic n happy mar
rage. As the pine tree keeps its leaves
when other trees are bare. SO the true
heart preserves its courage in adver-
sity. The slender bamboos. placed by
the pine trees. signify. with their many
knots. many years Of happiness. The
trees are Joined together at the tops
with festoons OF straw rope and multi
colored paper to ward away evil spirits
and are interlaced with many branch
ed ferns. signifying numerous prog
eny Great punches OF red berries.
golden oranges, bits OF charcoal. lob
sters and other things figure in the dec
orafions. each having its peculiar mean
1ng to the initiated
Inside the garlanded doorway Is a
second New Years display. the offering
TO the household gods whose seats are
surrounded with flowers and greens.
To these gods are paid the first honors
OF the new year after the salutation
10 the sun
Then the round OF pleasure begins.
''Omeditto." or Happy New Year." IL
ahe first word to be spoken. and every
one tries to he the first to say IT, The
day II spent largely In the streets.
rhich are clothed I'm gnla dress Of green
recommendations and national flags The
shops are decked out I'm their new
wares, and everything Is bright and
clean. Business ceases. snd There Is
= childlike sbandon to mirth. Old men
and boys ny kites all day long. COR
Teous kites Of wonderful forms which.
through devices fastened to the strings.
sing like aeolian harps- Many Of the
kites are OF enormous size. so large
chat IL takes several men TO raise them