The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-12-26

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Perhaps we might ~profltably follow
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,
was less expensive than our way. Also 1t is a
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
is gone; even the newsboy brings only a 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, it 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, M. A, "curate of
the parochial chapel of All Saints, in Newcastle .
upon Tyne" wrote Antiquities vulgares, or
the antiquities of the common people, giving an
account of their opinions and ceremonies, with
proper reflections upon each of them; shelving
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 modera-
ton; but he wanted to be on the safe side.
"As the vulgar are always very careful to end
the old year we'll" he wrote, (pointing his satire
by means of italics,) so they are also careful of
beginning well the new one. AS they end the
former with a hearty computation, SO they be-
gin the latter with the sending of presents, which
are termed New Years gifts to their friends and
acquaintance the original of both which GUS
toms is superstitious and sinful; and was observed
that the succeeding year might be prosperous
and successful"
He calls many writer's to witness the antiquity
of these customs, quoting from Bishop Stillingfeet,
Claus Mormius. Scheffer, .Snorro Sturleson." - and
s~the poet Naogeorgus.' Then he writes: "And no
doubt, those Christians were highly worthy of
censure, who imagined, as the heathens did, that
the sending of a present then was in any way
lucky, and an omen of the success of the following
year. For this was the very thing that made sew
eral holy men. and some general councils, take
notice of, and forbid any such custom; because the
observance of ii, out of any such design and view,
was superstitious and sinful, we are told, in a
place of st. Austin, the observation of the calends
of January is forbid, the songs which were wont
to be sung on that day, the feastings, and the
presents which were then sent as a token and
omen of a good year. But to send a present at
that time, out of esteem, or gratitude, or charity,
is no where forbid.
ION the contrary, it is praiseworthy. For the
ancient fathers did vehemently inveigh against the
observations of the calends of January; yet 1t
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 a New Years gift to my friend.
it shall be a token of my friendship; II to my bene-
factor. q token OF my Srdltuuei II " lie pun
(which at this time must never be forgot) 1t shall
be to make their hearts sing for Joy, and give
praise and alteration to the giver of all good gifts"
At any rate, we still say Happy New Year!"
whether or not the words have any special sig
nifcance to us. In the time of the learned Bourne
there were those who regarded this phrase with
deem suspicion. He writes: Another old custom
at this time Is the wishing of a good New Year,
either when a New Years gift Is presented, or
when friends meet. Now, the original of this
custom is heathenish, as appears by the feasting
and presents before mentioned, which were a wish
, for ASgood year, and II was customary among the
hea hens on the calends of January, to go about
and sing a 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 wealthier people, in which they wish them a
happy New Year. This he speaks indeed of the
Christians, but he calls it an exact copy of the
heathen's custom.
..But, however, cannot see the harm of retain
ing this ancient ceremony, so it be not used super
stitiously, nor attended with obscenity and lewd-
ness. For then there will be no more harm than
wishing a good each others welfare and prosper
ity; no more harm, than wishing a good day, or
good night; than in bidding one godspeed."
In Philadelphia there has been preserved up
10 recent years the custom of New Years mum
ming" Boys and girls-men and women also, to
acme extent-dressed in fantastic clothes and with
their faces painted or masked, could be seen in
tie streets, up to recently, begging and playing
practical Jokes. They did similar things In eight
zenith century London, by no means to the approx
al of the curate of the parochial chapel OF All
Saints in Newcastleon-Tyne. He writes; There