Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1914-12-24


their example Certainly their way Of waiting for
the new year at home, or at the home Of their
friends. with games and songs and domestic cheer.
vas less expensive than way Also IL is q
matter for regret that the pleasant customs Of
paying New Years calls and Of giving New Years
presents has disappeared All the ritual of the day
10 gone: the newsboy brings only q prosaic
calendar nowadays instead OF the elaborate poetic
address which In years gone by set forth his
claims on the worlds generosity. And New Years
resolutions exist chiefly In the Imagination Of hui
morous writer's.
Now. II Is true that the apparently harmless
customs OF paying calls and giving presents on
New Years day were not regarded with favor by
all critics OF morals and manners. Early In the
eighteenth century Henry Bourne. NJ A.. "curats Of
the parochial chapel OF All Saints. in Newcastle
upon Tyne" wrote Antiquities vulgares,
the antiquities OF the common people, giving an
account OF their opinions and ceremonies. with
proper reflections upon each OF them: showing
which may be retained and which ought to be
laid aside" And he felt that he must be very
careful indeed with his discussion OF New Years
calls and gifts He approved Of them. in moderar
ton; but he wanted to be on the safe side.
"As the vulgar always very careful to end
the old year WELL" he wrote. pointing his satire
BY means Of italics) so they are also careful OF
beginning well the new As they end the
former with . hearty computation. SO they be-
gin the latter with the sending Of presents which
are termed New Years gifts to their friends and
acquaintances: the original OF both which Gus
toms 10 superstitious and sinful: and observed
that the succeeding year might be prosperous
end successful
Me calls many writer's to witness the antiquity
Of these customs. quoting from Bishop stilinsneet
Claus wormius. Schefer. ~Snorro Sturieson." and
the poet Nsoseorgus." Then be writes: And no
doubt. those Christians were highly worthy OF
eensure. who imagined. as the heathens did. that
the sending Of present then was In any way
lucky. and omen Of the success Of the following
year. For this VAS the very thing that made
srA hcay men. and some general councils. take
notice of. and forbid any such custom; because the
observance Of IL out OF any such design and view.
was superstitious and sinful. told. In .
place Of st. Austin. the observation OF the ealends
Of January is forbid. the songs which were won't
to be sung on that day. the feastings. and the
presents which were then sent q token and
omen Of a good year But to send q present at
that time out Of esteem. or gratitude. charity.
II no where forbid
"On the contrary. II Is praseworthy. For the
ancient fathers did vehementy inveigh against the
observations OF the calends OF January: yet IT
was not because Of those presents and tokens OF
mutual affection and love that passed: but because
the day itself was dedicated to IDOLS and because
Of some prophane rites and ceremonies they OBJ
served In solemnizIng IT,
IF then send New Years gift to my friend.
II shall be token Of my friendship: II to my bene-
factor. . token Of my gratitude; II to the poor
(which at this time must never be forgot II shall
be TO make their hearts sing for Joy. and give
praise and alteration to the gver Of all good gifts
At any rate. still say Happy New Year,"
whether or not the words have any special sig
nincance to Us. In the time OF the learned Bourne
there were those who regarded this phrase with
deep suspicion He writes: Another old custom
at this time is the wishing Of good New Year.
either when a New Years gift 10 presented. or
when friends meet Now. the original Of this
custom Is heathenish. as appears by the feastins
and presents before mentioned. which were . wish
for q good year. and II was customary among the
heafhens on the calends Of January to 90 about
and sing New Years song. Hospinian. there
fore. tells that when night comes on. not only the
young. but also the old Of both sexes run about
here and there. and sing a song at the doors Of
the vealtnier people. in which they wish them
happy New Year. This he speaks indeed OF the
Christians. bat be calls Il an exact copy Of the
heAthen's custom.
But. however. cannot see the harm OF retain
ing this ancient eerepeony Il be used super
stitiously. nor alssz1ed Nth obscenity and lewd-
ness. For thea there win be more harm than
wishing good each others Welfare and prosper
tty; no more harm. than wishing . good day. or
good night; than In bidding one Eodspeed-
In Philadelphia there has been preserved up
10 recent years the custom OF New Years mum
ming" Boys and girs-men and women also to
some extent-dressed In fantastic clothes and with
their faces painted masked. could be seen In
the streets up to recently. begging and playing
practical jokes They did similar things in eight
zenith century London. by no means to the approx
Il Of the curate Of the parochial chapel OF All
Saints in Nevcastle-on-Tyne He writes: There