Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1912-12-27
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the celebration, which is a distractingly mad and
merry one. God-cakes, triangular in shape filed
with mincemeat and about halflnch THICK are
eaten on New Years day in both England ana
Scotland They are sold in large numbers and
can be purchased for from penny apiece all
the way up to one pound Feasting is really the
chief feature of the Scottish celebration moro
so than at Christmas or any other time OF the
wear Steaming hot wasse 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 there corresponds to January Il
of our calendar The Russian festival begins on
New Years eve and lasts until the fourteentn
day of the New Year. At midnight as the old
wear is diving and the being born, the Car
attends public mass and precisely on the stroke
of 70 o'clock 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 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
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 it 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 nobieman, such as cows.
sheen and fowls. The strangest of all Russian
customs, perhaps is the gathering around jar
of water by each family group in the belief that
If 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 to
the extreme The emperor holds formal court
reception, much as our chief executive does
which is attended by the foreign diplomats and
high officials of the Japanese government. The
celebration among the people lasts five days.
and preparations for it are begun long before
The fronts of all houses are covered with en-
blematic decorations; branches Of pine and of
bamboo 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 fish and other
charms believed to be potent 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, 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 year If
he can do no better, the very porest OF
peasants wraps pieces of dried fish in paper
tied with a peculiar red and white string used
only on this occasion and sends them to his
friends his New Years gift. The Japanese
new year date falls simultaneously with our own
they having adopted the Gregorian calendar in
1872
The Jewish New Year is usually celebrated
some time in September and is called Rosh Hos
hanah, also Yom Hardin, which last means DAYS
OF judgment New Years eve is observed with
fasting and the day itself with feasting MAY
you be in favor with God this New Year" is the
Jewish form of sautation, from which the Cen
tile greeting, Happy New Year" is said to be
contraction.