Askov American., 1943-12-30
New Years Day
Around the World
By MISS ABBIE CONDIT
National Recreation Association.

A New Years party based on the
customs of other countries will pro-
vide an appropriate theme for your
celebration this year. Send out in
vitations decorated with an hour
glass or the Old and New Year, in
viting the guests to come in the cos
tune of some country. Ask each to
bring "white elephant" possession,
securely wrapped, for as tradition
has it in Scotland, package in the
hand of the guest insures the host a
bounteous year. (These gifts will be
exchanged later in the evening as
one of the party activities.)
Colorful decorations are in order
for the party. In the Orient, dark
green pine branches and light green
bamboo stalks are hung on the gate
posts, and tangerines and tangerine-
like fruits are indicative of long life
and happiness. Bright red Holsters
and crabs are hung over doorways.
In China on New Years day ev-
eryone puts on brand new clothes
and goes visiting; so at our party
there may be grand march with
judges, of course, to award prizes
for the pretties, funniest, and most
unique costumes.
May Joy Be Yours
At the end of the march each per-
son is given a card and pencil. On
signal each tries to obtain as many
signatures as he can. He approaches
someone, bows in Chinese fashion,
saying "Kung Hi, Kung Hi'' Il hum
bly, wish you joy), and the other
replies "Sin Hi, Sin Hi' (May joy
be yours). Then each writes down
the others name. At the end of
five minutes the person with the
largest number of names receives a
trivial award.
In Belgium we hear of ''Sugar
Uncle" Sugar Aunt" All the
keys disappear from the inside doors
in the houses before New Years
Day. Then, when an unsuspecting
aunt or uncle goes into room alone,
the children rush to lock the doors
on the outside and do not permit the
aunt or uncle to come out until he
or she has promised ransom with
which the children will buy sugar
plums and candy. Divide the group
into a number of circles with 10 to
20 players in each. A leader is given
key or a bunch of keys. He walks
around the group nodding at players
who fall in line behind him. When
about half the members of the circle
are trailing along, he drops the key
and all dash to find places. The one
left out pays ransom" by being
cit"
First FOoter' Relay.
The circles may be easily straight
ened out into file formation for a
First Footer" relay. In Scotland it
is considered good luck to be the
first to step into a house after mid
night, so there is mad dash from
house to house after the stroke of
IL. Each team is a would-be first
footer." The leader counts to IL
and on "12" the first member of
each team dashes to a goal and
back, touching off the next player.
The first team finished is the lucky
one and receives prize of cookies
or tiny cakes, as was the custom.
Boys and girls of Russia have a
rather strange custom. On New
Years Day they 60 about throwing
peas and wheat at passers-by. The
peas are thrown at enemies, while
the lighter wheat is reserved for
friends. Wheat grains are too small
to handle conveniently, so give ev-
eryone eight or ten beans of one
kind and eight or ten of another
kind. Do not designate which is
"enemy" or "friend." Guests are
to trade beans with one another and
at the end of five minutes the one
with the fewest enemies and the
most friends is given prize.
In France the children used tc
leave their wooden shoes out a,
Christmas time for presents, but the
adults exchange gifts at New Years
time. In accordance with this Gus
tom the "white elephants" may be
brought out and distributed in any
manner you like-by drawing or ir
grab bag style. All the presents
should be opened on the spot as ar
appropriate climax to the party.