Evening star., 1936-01-01
Many Customs of Today
May Be Traced Directly
To Early Roman Festival
Druidic Rites Also Ancestors of Modern Cele'
bration; Superstitions and Odd Beliefs
Characterize Days Observance.

Sacrifices were offered on II altars to
the god. and people were careful to
regulate their speech and conduct on
the first day of the month so that
every word and act should be happy
augury for the coming year. 1--WE
have much this same idea now, in the
superstition that what We do on the
first day of the year will influence our
lives throughout the next II monthS)
Ancient Latin writer's often allude
to the suspension of all litigation and
strife, the reconciliation among foes,
the exchanging of visits, the giving
and receiving of presents, and the
masquerading and feasting, which
marked this festive period.
Thus it is easy to see where our Gus
tom of dancing the new year in, or
welcoming its advent with sirens,
confetti, paper caps and other "trip
perry and noise comes from. Also here
lies the origin of the traditional New
Year calls, and, perhaps. even the
custom of sending greeting cards at
this time 1t is. perhaps, pity that
the other side of the picture has not
also been followed-this old world
could do with a period of cessation
from strife, petty chickering's and day
or so at least of looking to ones good
conduct!
THE Persians celebrated the begin
= ming of the year by exchanging
gifts of eggs, presumably as a symbol
of new life. The ancient Druids dis
tributed among the early Britons
branches of the sacred mistletoe, with
strangely solemn ceremonies. The
Romans hadan imperial precedent of
extorting New Year gifts from their
subjects, which was adopted by Henry
III of England. and continued an .es-
tablished fashion until the reign OF
Charles I. The reception of these gifts
was reduced to a solemn formula, and
enriched the royal household consid-
erably. The custom died with the ad-
vent of Oliver Cromwell. and was not
renewed after the Restoration.
Our New Year eggnog party is
direct descendant Of the passing
around and drinking of the wassail
| in large cup. About the time OF
Queen Elizabeth individual cups we're
substituted for the large communal
one. but wassail was still drunk. keep
ing up the traditionally convivial spirit
of New Year day.
One of the older customs was to
unbar the door of the house, with great
formality, to let out the old year and
let in the new. Another observance
was the band of "first-footers' that
made the rounds of houses, each men,
ber endeavoring to be the first one
across every threshold after the stroke
of midnight. This is possibly fore
runner of our desire to be out on the
streets, mingling with the crowds, for
getful of all formality on New Year
eve.
A QUAINT Scotch custom which
"A still exists in some localities, con-
sists of reading the Bible on New Year
morning to ascertain what the future
holds for the curious. The reading
must be done before breakfast, and
in this manner: The book is laid
upon a table, and those who wish to
consult it must open it at random
and place finger upon one or other
of the chapters at which it is opened.
This chapter is then read, and is be-
lieved to indicate the fate in store
for the reader during the coming year.
Among many of the old supersti-
tions is the belief that If lamp or
candle is taken out of the house on
New Year day that some member
of that family will die within the
year. Throwing dirty water, ashes.
or trash out on that day was said
to mean certain bad luck to the
household.
Observances of New Year eve and
New Year day vary slightly in differ
ent countries, but the fundamental
idea is the same everywhere-new
hope, new life and a tendency to
forget the troubles of the past. 1t |
is indeed a blessing that mankind |
is able to have this spiritual BREATH |
ing space at least once year, and |
If we could keep the deep joy which |
1t gives with us throughout the |
coming months, life would be bet
ter, happier boon to all Of us.