The Washington herald., 1909-01-03

WHICH are h-LIE1 next Una pine Ue1-
signify long life, because OF their many
knots The trees are joined above with
a festoon Of straw rope and paper fFinges,
gemTned with golden. but bitter. oranges,
IN boats Of fern leaves. Holsters, bits Of
charcoal. and magnificent punches OF red
berries. The straw rope IS a very com
plex production OF a certain number OF
strands and pendants, twisted always to-
ward the left side. and IS supposed, with
the proper fringe. % ward away evil
The fern. with It's branching and re-
branching. denotes numerous posterity,
while the bitter orange. g by-Play on the
word diadai. means from generation 10
generation" The color OF the charcoal
is changeiess: even, so say the japanese,
may the future OF our dear ones remain
forever unaltered IL all that gives JOY.
The Holsters crooked back pictures ones
friends with the weight Of many happy
years Of life.
Stepping within the Earlanded doorway
one comes TO another New Years display,
the offerings TO the household gods, whose
domestic seats. upon a high shelf, are
beautifed with ferns and sprays Of green.
Black peas. dried Chestnuts. and seaweed
symbolic strength, victory. and pleasure,
respectively. and are placed before them.
After saIUtatiOns 10 the rising sun. the
first honors Of the year belong TO this
festive altar, where thanks are offered TO
the gods Of heaven and earth, and homage
Is paid the family ancestral tablets. Then
the round Of pleasure with human kind is
initiated. "Omedito" is the first word TO
be spoken. and each vies with the other
In being the earliest 10 enunciate IL II
means congratulations.
The day. passes largely in the streets.
where the Haunting national flags Of a
red ball upon a white ground and the
pine tree OTnamentauons, fairly clothe the
cities and town in gala dress. The shops.
whose season OF New Year sales CORE
spond TO the Christmastide shopping OF
the Occident, are Gecled out with their
new wares in a sort OF holiday regalia-
The whole population Is attired in ac-
cord with the spirit Of the day. Not even
the humblest seem too poor 10 spare a few
sen (about two-thirds Of a cent? for some
fresh accessory TO their costume, whether
il be but a floral hairpin. crepe for the
neck. or socks And all are at play. The
japanese know how 10 play Labor
ceases. There IS a chilGlike. perfect
abandon TO mirth. Young and old min
gle in reveIry Some Of the shops keep
holiday for two weeks. and then resume
business in d somewhat ambiguous fash
ion by observing the apprentices vaca-
ton on January Is. On that day every
working lad. although bound for a term
Of years TO his master. may return home
and spend the day IS he wills.
Even the little devils Of he'll are, It is
supposed. given this one days respite
from their questionable trials Others.
more ambitious tradespeOple. open their
shops on January ., as soon as the first
excitement has subsided, and solicit Gus
tom by presenting the first conner with
souvenir gift. Some ambitious buyers rise
as early as o'clock in the morning-un-
less they have not retired-to win the
prize.
The pet pastime for boys and men on
the great holiday is kite-fying- The kites
Of this country may be scientific, but the
kites Of Japan are gorgeous, and they
sing. Little CCntrivanCes fastened to the
strings cause strange. whirring sounds,
which remind one Of the aeolias harp.
Some Of them are Of enormous size. as big
as two doors, and require a group Of men