The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1918-06-17

with rs out of Its possible 30 days.
May comes next, with % and an ad-
ditiOnal Sunday not otherwise cele-
brated, thus actually tying November
In the number of days closed to bust
ness. March. on the other hand, Is
the longest all around business
month, having only 10 holidays. Thus
at least tw0-tnirds Of every month in
terferes with the free play OF inter-
national business.
Even such generally observed festi-
walls as Christmas and New Years
Day can't be depended upon by the
banker without consulting the inter.
national calendar.
New Years Day is the only holiday
universally observed. But, alas, 1t
falls on II different dates in different
parts of the globe, and some countries
observe more than one of them. An
exhaustive study of these New Year
celebrations would give one pretty
fair knowledge of the ancient history
Of the world. Curlously enough, one
of our own states, Massachusetts,, does
not make this legal holiday, though
her citizens generally observe it.
Where Christmas Is Not Observed.
Christmas Day, due to its religious
significance, is not so generally OBJ
served as New Years Day. 1t has,
moreover, only three different dates.
1t was not generally observed on De-
cember % until the fourth century.
The early church, lacking any au-
thentic knowledge as to the date OF
Christ's birth, celebrated It without
uniformity In May, April and Janu'
airy. The Armenian Church still OBJ.
serves January 6. Why the Deem
Der cate was finally selected Is uncer.
tain. Some see in 1t displacement
of the Roman Saturnalia; others de-
clare 1t a survival Of the Feast Of the
Winter Solstice, and still others point
TO its coincidence with the old Ger
man Yuletide Feast. Countries where
the old style calendar prevails still
celebrate January Z.
In the Puritan days Scotch Presby-
terians and English Non-Conformlsts
rejected Christmas Day altogether as
"savoring of papistry," and in New
England Thanksgiving Day was de-
vised to replace it. 1t seems curl
Gus thing that there are today Christ
tian countries where II Is not OBJ
served legally. Such are Norway,
Panama. Peru, Portugal and the
South African Union.
The last named, however, still OBJ
serves the old English institution OF
Boxing Day on December 70. This
was the day when the English gentry,
having had their own Christmas cele-
bration the day before, turned their
attention to the poor by presenting
them with Christmas boxes. The day
later became the day for general CIV
ing Of Christmas gifts.
Portugal Drops Traditions.
The only country on earth a study
OF whose holidays reveals little Of It's
political, racial or religious origin Is
Portugal. The first attempt to estab-
lIsh a republic in Portugal was made
on January 81. 1891. This is reflect,
ed In It's calendar Of holidays which
runs: january 1, dedicated to uni
versal brotherhood; January 81, ded
icated to the memory Of all those who
fought and died TO establish the re
public In Portugal; May 3, in mem
orr of the discovery Of Brazil by ths
Portuguese June 10, municipal holi
day at Liabon; June "a, municipal
holiday at 0porto; October 8, the
date Of the establishment Of the POr
tuguese republic; December /, Flal
Day, to commemorate the independ
ence Of the country; December rs
Family Day"
These brief notations on holiday
touch only their distribution ant
dates Back OF these lies a wide fels
filed with quaint and curious infor
nation relating to the manner Of Gel
ebratlng them