Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-31

attendance at dawn of early church
services on Christmas. Driving to the
churches in horse-drawn sleighS, with
bells tinkling merrily they make the
countryside brilliant with torches, car
RED to light the way to church.
Although the King of Sweden holds
no Offlcial reception on New Year day.
1t is customary for the dignitaries OF
the realm to visit the palace and in
scribe their names in the great book
placed there for that purpose. With
the exception of this official custom,
New Year day is mostly a day of pri-
vate calls and friendly visits for the
people of Sweden. In addition to De-
cember IS and 26 and New Year day,
the Epiphany. or January 6, Is also a
legal holiday in the Scandinavian
country.
COIOrful in Japan.
Perhaps no country in the world
holds more colorful New Year cele-
bration than Japan. Despite the chang
ing world and with 1t the adoption of
many Western customs, the New Year
observances of Japan are almost as old
as the land itself.
Preparations for the japanese New
Year commence at least two weeks be-
fore the new year arrives. First, the
AOucC 40 pIdCCu III OEucT WIFI a ILlOE~
ough cleaning. AS much as Is possible,
utensils and household goods that have
been broken are replaced with new ones.
Until very recently an entire week was
given to the celebration of New Year by
the japanese. But modern business de-
mands have made that impossible now,
so the celebration usually extends over
the first, third and fifth days of the new
year, with banks and business places
open on the second and fourth days.
All household cleaning must be fin
ished before the dawn of the New Year,
and no busting or sweeping must be
done on the first day of the year, for
fear that the God of Good Luck be
frightened away by the noise and dis
turbance.
Until the introduction of Western
methods, Japan, like China, observed
the lunar calendar and New Year at a
different time each year. But for some
time now January l has been observed
In the rural districts or among the Ash
ing villages the old New Year is still
frequently celebrated.
Early in the morning on New Year
Gay throughout the Japanese empire the
New Year banquet begins and the
table remains laden with good things to
eat for the period of three days.
Services IN fatace Temple.
On the first day Of the year the En-
peror holds special religious services in
the palace temple. This is a day Of
worship to ones ancestors, and is of a
particularly religious nature. The sec
ond day of the new year Is one of
gayety. Sports and street parades are
held on this day. and every one must
be happy. The saying Is that children
should not cry on this day. or they are
apt to do so the rest of the year.
January is a day OF official ban
quoting, and a great banquet is given
by the Emperor. to which are invited
the members of the diplomatic corps
and high officials of the empire.
AS Americans decorate their windows
and house fronts with holly wreaths
and greens at Christmas, so do the
japanese decorate their doors and gates
with branches OF pine, plum and bamboo
and SPECIAL adornments of straw and
paper, with occasionally a lobster and
an orange to be seen, the last two being
symbolic of longevity and fruitfulness
for those within.
II you should visit a business street
in Japenese city before the New Year,
you will see hundreds of straw ropes
and straw taSsels for sale in booths
along the streets These straw ropes
OF good fortune" were used in early
times as guard against evil spirits and
will be seen decorating practically every
doorway in Japan during the New Year
season.
AS Spring opens the base ball season
in the United States, so New Year day
opens the kite season in Japan. On
this day whole villages and districts
enter into kite e, ing competitions, and
the countryside is vivid with gay and
colorful exhibition of kites of every size
and shape.
While American children receive their
gifts on Christmas day the small chill
dren of Japan receive gifts OF toys on
New Year day.
China also holds a noisy and festive
New Year, and although since the birth
OF the republic January / Is now the
offlcial first day OF the year, neverthe-
less throughout the vast interior and
rural districts of China the populace
still observes its own lunar New Year,
which in 1880 will fall on January so.