The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1918-02-07

comes next, with % and an adj
onal Sunday moi otherwise cele-
ated, thus actually tying November
ness. March, on the other hand is
the longest all around bus ness
month, having only 10 holidays, Thus
at least twothirds 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 II
falls on / 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 q pretty
fair knowledge Of the ancient history
of the world CuriOusly 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 religions
significance. Is not so generally OBJ
served as New Years Day. II has,
moreover, only three different da es.
Ii was not generally observed on De-
rember % until the fourth century.
The early church. lack ng any au-
thentic knowledge as to the date OF
Christs birth, celebrated ii without
uniformity in May, April and Janu-
airy. The Armenian Church still OBJ
serves January g. Why the Deem
Der cate was finally selected Is uncer-
tain. Some see In 1t q d splacement
of the Roman Saturnalla; others de-
clare II a survival of the Feast OF the
Winter SoIstlce. 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 -COnformlsts
rejected Christmas Day altogether as
"savoring OF papistry," and In New
England Thanksgiving Day was de-
vised to replace It. II seems a 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 20, This
was the day when the English gentry
having had their own Christmas cele-
hratlon the day before, turned their
attention To the poor by presenting
hem with Christmas boxes. The day
,ater became the day for general CIV
ing OF Christmas gifts
Portugal Drops Traditions
The only country on earth study
" whose HOLIDAYS reveals little OF its
roltlcai. racial or religious origin Is
Portugal. The firsi attempt 10 estab-
liSn 81 rpDnllliP Nv IhfihEhi AhN w We
on january ~. 1901 THIS is reflect
cd In us calendar Of hol days, which
runs: "Januarv |. dedicated 10 rni-
yersal brotherhood; January II. ded-
icated to the memory Of all those who
fought and died 10 establish the re-
public In Portugal; Nay Z. In mem
ory Of the discovery Of Brazil by the
Portuguese June ~ municipal holt
day at, Lisbon; June "a. municipal
holiday at oporio October Z the
date ~ the establishment Of the por-
tuguese republic: December !. Flag
Day. to commemorate the lndepend-
ence OF the country: December -.
Family Day"
These hrlef noiafions on HOLIDAYS
touch only their distribution ard
dates BACK 81 these lies aide ned
filled With quaint and curious lnfor-
nation relating to the manner of eel
ebrailng them