Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1922-12-30

Lord Chesterfield described Sew
Years Day aB n time when the kindest
and warmest wishea arc exchanged
without tho least meaning, and tho
most lying day Zoe the whole year.
This cynical statement about New
Years does not seem 10 be so true
In one day and land for. AZ n nation
we do not observe New Years a. did
many 81 our ancestors, or rs 30 is|
still ohFerved IN Latin countries,
where II takes tho place % Christmas
ar "a time Of gft giving when the
British observed March 20 as the be-
ginning ~ tho Sew Year. under the
old regime. gifts were given then ne
we'll as NJ Christmas. bat when tho
new calendar was adopted the sec
| 6nd festival was probably too near
/ Christmas Tor tho donors generosity.
Tho tradition of giving gifia ON Sew
/ Years comes from Erent antiquity.
] Tho Romans exchanged gifts and the
| Emperor demanded and received much
/ gold This'cuFiom of giving gifts o.
royalty at tho beginning OF The Sow
/ Year was carried into tho middle ages
ana wc read 81 tho kings ana queens
Of England receiving tho gifts with
great pomp end ceremony.
prynne ln hls 'fIis'ri0- Mastix." ha7
n severe iuvecii"o against such rites
uf New Years D7v. prohibiting al
Christians under pain ~ oxrommuni-
cation from observing tho Calendg or
FIRST of January (Which $50 call New
Years DayD as holy. and from sand
ing abroad Now Years gifts upon d.
d %
ing meer rclque ~ paganesme and
ldoiatry derived from tho heather Ito-
mans feast of two faced janus
THE heather Romans" had an
other Now Years custom which is
-iill observed in places ~ seems d
was 70 custom 90 Rome upon Now
Years Day for an irodezmen 20 work
a Iftie in tnr'r business hy WY o
omen Tor lurf'r rafo 3s wo Say tha
they might hove constant business ai
the wear after Tho rest ~ the da1
wlg spent in paying calls Or y fosilvi
tics
Ia Britain. ~ in Rome. an quarrel
were forgotten around tho biazini
b hearth on Ncv Years Eve. Will" tho
? pledged o1ch othot with tho w1ssa|
3 bowl filled with lambs wool"
p In SOHO country pari shos Ioy
g c'rcied frors .o tls orchard eingin
r tho following dif'v which WAS suu
% posed tp bring heavy harvest 81
apples.
q stand fast root bear well top.
= Pray God snnd ~ "a good howiin
: crop:
2 Every twlg. apples big.
Il Every bough. apples enou;
, Hats full. caps fun
Full quarter sacks FUN
"Singen-een" a. 70 was called ia IN
! country 81 life. was a time FOR sins
ing from house % house. 40 IN Scot
land where the LADS and lassies sers
; nadcd tho neighbors for a BIT % hrea
3 and cheese.
Q In many sections o. England an
j. Scotland. New Years Eve Va. Tin
j. FOR divinaiions. whichever way %
wind blew determined the fortunes
Is tho year. The members % the fami
Ie opened Bible az random cnd read %
"a first chapter their finger touched. T.
70 chapter foretOld what ~ good or
8. would befau them during the yea
r. The house door was unbarred wi
Ia great Formally a. midnight 20 J
p the old year out and the new year
n Tho Romans would not give aw;
p. iron or ere on New Years Day. al
~ their superstition vas carried IN
!. SECTIONS 90 England where Oh
r dogEerei expresses the feeling 81 q
rustics about giving or lending nous
:. hold utensils on that day.
Take out. then take in.
a. Bad luck VIII begin.
'' Take ln. then take our.
Good luck CONS about.