Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-01-12

April and the MeclIlcnbufg decIA-
ration on May 90
1T remains for Frederick county.
Nd, 20 celebrate all alone the repu-
diation OF the stamp act. one OF the
most local celebrations OF an impor-
tant national event on record.
Among the favorite months for hol.
idays the world over November leads.
with % out Of its possible 80 days.
May comes next, with 25 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 ! 8 holidays Thus
at'least two-thirds of every month in
terferes with the free play OF inter-
rational business
Even such generally observed feati-
walls as Christmas and New Years
Day cant be depended upon BY the
banker without consulting the inter-
national calendar.
New Years Day is the only holiday
universally observed But. alas. II
fallson ~ 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 a pretty
fair knowledge or the ancient history
Of tho world Curiousiy enough. one
OF our own states Massachusetts,, does
not make ISIS 4 legal holiday. though
her citiH9ns generally observe II. 8
Eleven New Year Dates
January is observed as New
Years Day ia every country In an
Europe except Bulgaria. Greece. RDu-
mania, Russia. Servia and Turkey; in
all European colonies In Africa and
lin Liberia and Morocco; In every
country aud colony in North. Central
and south America and in all parts
OF Asia except Asiatic Turkey and In
Aussreiasln.
Ii Bulgaria.. Greece Roumania,
Russia, Scryia and Turkey the old
style calendar prevails and the New
Year begins accordingly on January
l1d.
The Japanese New Year docs. in
deed begin on January i. but II is
also celebrated on the Sd and 9Th OF
that month.
Then there Ore the Hindu New
Year. on April La: the Chinese New
Year. February II to IA (which, by
the way. IL a legal holiday In part
OF the United States HAWAII; the
Annamite New Year, February II
and Is. and the Second Annamite
New Year. June 49,, the Parsl New
/ Year, September IL; the Persian New
Year, March II TO "a; the Mohani.
linedan New Year, December 10 and
I II. and the Jewish New Year, Sep
4 temher ! q Is and Ia, IL is n SUR
prise to learn That the only nation on
earth making the Jewish Now Year a
legal holiday Ii Turkey.
New loars Day was celebrated
among the most ancient nations. The
old Roman New Year began March &.
but in reforming the calendar julius
Caesar designated January as the
years beginning.
Where Christmas is Not Observed.
Christmas Day, due to its religious
signlfcancc is not so generally cob
served as New Years Day.ssslt hos.
moreover. only thiee .diiferrnt dates.
II was not generally observed on De
cenisor 25 until the fourth century.
The early church, lacking any au-
thentic knowledge as To, the date OF
christ's birth. celebrated II without
uniformity In May, April and Janu-
airy. The Armenian Church still o.,
serves January 8 Why the Deceili~
Der date was finally selected As uncer
tain Some see In II o. displacement
Of tho Roman Saturnalia; others DE-
clare 1t a survival OF tho Feast of the
| Winter Solsticc. and ntill others point
20 its coincidence with the old Ger
man Yuletidc Feast. Countries where
the old style calendar prevails still
celebrate January Z. N H S
In the Puritan days Scotch preskt.-
terians and English Mont onforndsts Z
rejected Christmas Day altogether as
"savoring of papistry." and in New
England Thanksgiving Day was de-
vised to replaces 1t. 1t seems q Curl
Gus thing that there are today Chris
tian countries where 1t Is not OBJ
lserved legally Such are Norway
Panama, Peru, Portugal and thee
South African Union. 4Ss.s
The last named, however. still OBJ 4,
serves, the old English institution sof
4 Boxing Day on December rs. This Y
was the day when the English gentry.
having had their own Christmas cele-
bration the day before. turned their
attention to the poor by presentintx
them with Christmas boxes. Tho day
later became the day for general Civ
ina OF Christmas gifts. Il 4
Portugal Drops Traditions,
The only country on earth study
Of whose holidays reveals little OF it's
political, racial or religious origin Is n
Portugal The first attempt to estab-
lish republic in Portugal was made
or January 81. 1897. This is reflect
ed in its calendar of holidays. which
runs ''Jannary L, dedicated to uni1
versal brotherhood: January 81, ded,
icated to the memory of all those who
fouf,ht and died to establish the ra-