The Holbrook news., 1920-12-31
Our Superstid0us Vein Encirclins Wreath of Fancy Bedecks New Years Day
H YER since the dawn of time the
 happenings of New Years day - have been said to foretell the

H YER since the dawn of time the happenings of New Years day
 A have been said to foretel the
 luck of the coming months. For there
 is a vein of superstition in the human
 race, and all of us share in Its delu-
 sions. There is no day in the year
 without its encircling wreath of fancy ;
 this first day of them all is wondrous- ly bedecked. Not even Christmas is so ancient, and so world renowned, and 1t stands first in the folklore of every language. On New Years day in ancient Egypt, when as yet the pyramids were unbuilt, there were grand processions and smoking sac rifices. In Sparta it was celebrated by the conservation of youths to mili- tary service.
 Among the Saxons and old Germans were great rejoicings. feastings and carousings on this day, and the was sail bowl passed merrily around. This was a great vessel filled with ale, sugar, fruits, nutmeg and spices. There was enough for the whole community and the great bowl ran freely all day.
 In all countries there have been charms and devotions peculiar to the opening year, for desire to peer into the future is really common to us all, no matter how we affect to deride the idea. The Bible charm was one famil- far to our grandfathers, and was used by religious people even down to the present generation. It is solemn and interesting, and well worth recording. "When the clock strikes 12 on New Years eve, pick up your Bible and open 1t at random, and walking back ward to a table, lay the book down, face open, upon it. Turn around three times, take up the book, read the verse upon which your thumb falls. It will tell your fate for the coming year. For instance, if it should be: And He will love thee and bless thee and multiply thee," or If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the earth" we ex- pect very pleasant year. But conceive the horror of one who should open to these words: "So he died, and was gathered to his fathers," or ''In hell he lifted up his eyes, being in tor ment."
 In Switzerland the maiden borrows her mothers wedding ring, ties it with a hair from her own head, then sus- bends 1t just over the rim of a tea cup, all the while counting rapidly the years of her own age. Of course the hair-hung ring trembles and knocks against the cup, and each little tap counts one year before she will wed so she must count very fast, or be shocked at the number of taps. In Norway the ,kind of fish caught on the day foretells "f1sherman's luck" for the coming year. In rural New England almost every locality has some special charm of fortune-telling of it's own for this day of fate. The custom of sending cards and gifts on the first day of the year is so ancient that the historian of Manners and Gus toms can find no beginning. The Chinese have used cards for thou. sands of years, and the queerest thing in the world is Chinese New Years | card. It gives all the complimentary titles of the owner, and is almost as large as a wall map. In olden times | it was the custom for tenants to give New Years gifts to their landlords, and every loyal subject owed a gift to his sovereign. We read how good | Queen Elizabeth was such a favOrite | that her gifts were marvels of taste | and extravaganza. In our country we give presents on Christmas day, but in France they are reserved for the | first of the year.