The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-01-01
New Year, Day
Many Lands
YEW YEARS DAY is a time for

NyEW YEARS DAY is a time for
~ thanksgiving and mirth and
happiness, and in some Coun-
tries. for the Interchange of gifts. 1t
is also a day which, because it is the
beginning of another year in ones life.
has associated with it a certain sa-
credness which often takes the form
Of resolutions TO do more and better
things than one has ever done before.
1t is appropriate that the series of
10 months should open on the first day
of January, because this is the period
Of the winter solstice, the turning
point Of the year, the time when earth
begins to be revivfied in anticipation
Of the coming of spring. The anCients
understood this significance and. Al
though several changes in their Calen-
dar took place before the present date
was made permanent. January 1st has
been. We are told. the generally aC-
cepted date since he reign of the Ro-
man king Numa Pompilus. G12 Il. G.
He decreed that the year should begin
as it now does. and added Two new
months to the already existing ten.
The first month was named January
i'm hOhor of the god Janus, who was
represented by the Romans rs having
TWO faces. this s!gnlfying that he was
acquainted with both past and future
events. On this first day It was the
Roman custom to offer 10 Janus Sacri-
fee upon twelve different affairs.
Among the offerings VS. 2 cake of
ca nd win
Tho people took every precaution to
conduct themselves so perfectly that
nothing hut good might he preSaged
for the coming year. Latin writer's of
the time say that all strifPS and diff
ferences ceased at the New Year. The
day was spent in visiting. fcasting and
exchanging gifts. Indeed. the burden
of giving had become so heavy that
during the reign Of Claudius he felt
forced to limit ii by a decree.
In Belgium the children are eSpe-
cfalIy active on New Years. Their
greatest fun is obtained by SeCreting
all the keys belonging IN the various
doors of The house. Then they hide.
watching. lynx-eyed, from their ven
taee ground for the chance to lock up
an unSuspecting parent or uncle or
aunt. When once caught they are not
freed until they promise a certain for
felt of Sweetmeats.
In France it is called ''le jour de
ran"-the day of the year. Merry
making. calls and gifts reign supreme.
Dancing. singing and wine also have
prominence. Candy. not usually al
lowed to French children, is generous
~ given out, January 1st is also the
day for family reunions. And in the
/ early morning hours relatives of any
/ one who has died during the year as
semhle at the grave for a brief service.
! One of the prettiest customs in the
world is that observed at Franfort-on-
/ the-Mafn. Many are the gay parties
which gather on New Years eve. and
I when the great cathedral clock begins
/ to chime the midnight hour every win
/ dow of every occupied house is raised
! Each person lifts high a glass and
with one voice the whole city cries
! out, "Prosit Neujahr." BY the time
| the twelfth stroke is reached the win.
! dows are closed and quiet reigns as
/ the old year draws its last breath.
In rural parts of Russia the chill
dren, who have arisen especially early
( on this holiday, start out on house
toulouse pilgrimage, with pockets
brimful of dried peas and wheat
/ Doors are never locked in Russia, 81
1t is an easy matter TO enter. If ths
/ occupants of the house thus visited
!