American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1912-12-26

the celebration. which is a distractingly mad and
merry one. God-cakes. triangular in shape. filled
with mincemeat and about a halfinch thick, are
eaten on New Years day in both England and
Scotland. They are sold in large numbers and
can be purchased for from a penny apiece all
the way up to one pound. Feasting Is really the
chief feature of the Scottish celebration, more
so than at Christmas or any other time OF the
year. %Steaming hot wassel, too, is carried from
door to door and INDUCED in by neighbors and
friends.
In Russia the Julian calendar is still in vogue
and January l there corresponds to January "A
of our calendar The Russian festival begins on
New Years eve and lasts until the fourteenth
day of the New Year At midnight. as the old
year is dying and the new being born. the Car
attends public mass. and precisely on the stroke
of IL o'clock a hundred cannons are DISCHARGED
and the revelry begins At the end Of the cele-
bration-two weeks hence-the people fast and
attend solemn religious services, marking on the
doors OF their houses. also. a cross to prevent
Satan from crossing the threshold.
In the rural sections the Russian children
make the day peculiarly their own. for. armed
with peas and grains OF wheat. they sally forth
in bands early New Years morning. stop at
every house. enter and wake the inmates with a
bombardment of peas or by scattering the wheat
over the sleepers Later in the day they choose
the very finest horse raised in the village that
year. decorate it and present 1t to the nobleman
who is master OF the village In return he scat.
tiers small coins among them Their elders, too.
make presents to the nobleman. such as cows.
sheep and fowls The strangest of all Russian
customs. perhaps, is the gathering around a lar
of water BY each family group in the belief that.
II their faith is sufficiently strong. the miracle
performed by Christ in Cana OF Galilee when he
turned the water into wine will be repeated
New Years day in Japan Is picturesque ia
the extreme The emperor holds a formal court
reception. much as our chief executive does
which Is attended bv the foreign Diplomats and
high officials of the Japanese government The
celebration among the people lasts five DAYS
and preparations for II are begun long before.
The fronts of all houses are covered with en-.
blematfc decorations: branches OF pine and ot
bamboo are planted in large vases filed with
earth and placed before the doors. and over
the projecting roofs of the houses are strung
garlands OF plated straw These latter bear
leaves Of certain trees. shell Ash and other
charms believed to be rotent factors In bringing
good luck TO the household
The people flock to the TEMPLES. which are
open all New Years night and there cook their !
zoomi. a sort Of rice cake. ALWAYS eaten before
the sun has risen Later. on New Years day
there is much visiting and tea drinking and ex.
change OF good wishes for the coming wear n
he can do no better. even the very norest Of
peasants wraps pieces of dried fish In paner.
tied with a peculiar red and white string used
only on this occasion and sends them 10 his
friends as his New Years gift The Japanese
new year date falls simultaneously with our own
they having adopted the Gregoriau calendar in
1872.
The Jewish New Year is usually celebrated
some time in September and is called Rosh uoa
hanah. also Yom Hardin. which last means dav,
OF Judgment New Years eve is observed with
fasting and the dav itself with ~feastfne. NAV
you be in favor with God this New Year. ia ,hs
form Of salutation. from which the Cen.
tile greeting. Happy New Year" is said to be .
contraction.