The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1918-01-29

Will 20 Oul VI llS pOSSiUlC oO uoyo
May comes next, with % and an ad-
ditional Sunday rot otherwise cele-'
brated, thus actually tying November
in the numoer Of days closed to busi-
ness. March, on the other hand, is
the longest all around business
month, having only 10 holidays. Thus
at least two-thirds of every month in
terferes with the free play of inter-
national business.
Even such generally observed festi-
vals 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, it
falls on IL 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. Curiously enough, one
of our own states, Massachusetts, does
not make this a legal holiday, though
her citizens generally observe it.
Where Chistmas Is Not Observed.
Christmas Day, due to it's 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 25 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-
ary. The Armenian Church still OBJ
serves January 8. Why the Decem-
ber GATE was finally selected is uncer-
tain. Some see in it displacement
of the Roman Saturnalla; others de-
clare it 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 I.
In the Puritan days Scotch Presby-
terians and English Non-Conformists
rejected Christmas Day altogether as
..savoring of papistry," and in New
England Thanksgiving Day was de-
vised to replace it. 1t seems curl
! ous thing that there are today CHRIST
tian countries where 1t is not OBJ
served legally. Such are Norway,
po,o,o poru Portugal and the
South African Union.
The last named, however, still oo-
serves the old English institution OF
Roxing Day on December rs. Tnis
was the day when the English gentry
having had their own Christmas ceie-
hration the day before, turned tnelr
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 study
of whose holidays reveals little Of its
no,ftical racial or religious origin IS
Portugal. The first attempt to estab-
rsh q republic in Portugal was made
on January 81, 1891. This is reflect
cd in its calendar Of holidays, which
runs: january l, dedicated to uni
versal brotherhood; January 81, ded-
icated to the memory OF all those VINO
fought and died to establish the re-
public in Portugal; May 3, in mem
CIV Of the discovery Of Brazil by the
Portuguese; June 19, municipal holl-
day at Lisbon; June a, municipal
holiday at Oporto; October 5, the
date of the establishment of the Por-
tusuese republic; December 1, Flag
Day, to commemorate the independ-
cree of the country; December %
r,mily Day"
These brief notations on holidays
touch only their distribution and
dates. Back Of these lies vide fed
flleG: With quaint and curious infor-
nation relating 10 the manner Of eel,
ebrating them