Sketcher.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2084, 24 June 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

Sketcher.

New Year's Customs. Like the customs of Christmas, which, in their origin, are a curious mixture of poetry and mysticism, of symbolism and of superstition, those that belong to the observance of New Year’s Day are also, to a large extent, relics of usages and ideas that date from early heathen ages. In France, New Tear’s presents play an important part. The French derive their term for these presents from the Latin word Strenia, the name of a goddess whom the Romans venerated as the patroness of gifts. There was a grove in Rome dedicated to this goddess where it was customary to get fresh twigs, to give with presents to friends and relatives on New Year’s Day. At first the presents consisted only of figs, dates and honey, which were intended to represent the sweet and pleasant elements of life; but they soon became more valuable and costly. During the sway of the emperors, Roman subjects made New Year’s gifts to their sovereign. Augustus received such quantities of these that he had gold and silver statues made of them. Tiberius did away with the usage, because he considered it too troublesome to express thanks for the gifts. Caligula, on the contrary, reintroduced the custom, and even made up for his predecessor’s refusal to receive presents by requiring those that had been offered to him to be given to himself as arrearages. The custom of making New Year’s gifts, notwithstanding attempts to suppress it, was continued after Europe became Christian. For a time present making was transferred to Easter, but later it was again associated with the first day of January. At one time, in France, there was great extravagance in the custom. In the reign of Louis XIV., on the first day of January, 1678, Mine, de Montespan received a cup of gold, set with emeralds and diamonds, beside two goblets furnished with covers that were likewise studded with precious stones. At present gifts most frequently consist in France of sweetmeats tastefully arrayed in handsome boxes, or of vases, bronzes, rare porcelain, or other works of art.

Many interesting customs had their origin in the early days of the German people, with whom the winter solstice was always as festival. In Voightland, a district of Saxony, maidens are; accustomed to walk on New Year’s Eve—and they prefer the hour of midnight—in retired nooks of gardens, and shake trees and fence pickets, or even wash poles, and inquire about their future lovers ; and from whatever direction they then hear the barking or howling of a dog, or any other marked or sudden noise, from that direction will the lover come.

On New Year's, or, as it is also called Sylvester Eve, the maiden of Mecklenburg, with her back turned to the door, throws a slipper over her head. If the toe of the fallen slipper points to the door, she leaves the house during the following year to go into service; if not she remains at home.

In the villages near the Vosges mountain range, the well dance was a general cnstom forty or fifty years ago, and may still be retained in many places. Early on the morning of New Year’s Day, before the ringing of the church bells, the unmarried young women of a village would dance around the the running well or fountain of the place, which they bad previously adorned with a small fir tree, and would sing a song to the dance that dated unquestionably, though in distorted form, to a dim antiquity. -The object of this custom was to provide the dancing maidens with lovers during the coming year, and to bring good luck and fortunate crops to the village, and make the water of the well healthful for the cattle. In Denmark there is a curious custom of breaking bottles, pots, and dishes against the house door ; a custom that is turned to advantage for annoying an enemy, by breaking vessels against his door that are filled with filth, or, it the chance is good, they are even thrown into the house. It is a popular superstition in Denmark that any person who snuffs out a candle on New Years Eve, dies during the following year. In Spain, Sylvester Eve is of great importance to the young folks. On that eve, in accordance with an old custom, the names of the young people are thrown into two separate urns, one for each sex. Then the names are drawn alternately, one from each urn, and the young men who participate in the sport become the recognized lovers and escorts daring the whole succeeding year, of the respective maidens whom this lottery accords to them. Should it happen that the same two names are drawn together two years in succession, it is considered an omen favorable to a more lasting relationship, and usually so results. In European countries, in which the Julian calendar is still in vogue, the carnival celebrationVgins already at Christmas,and is conducted in"* way quite different from that of Western countries. The Russian carnival is divided into two parts—the New Year's celebration, which is conducted with dance, jesting and masquerading, and the so-called Butter Week, or festival time that precedes the strict fasts. The sports, mummeries, jests, and practical jokes that cbaracteaized the Roman Saturnalia mark to-day the Russian New Year’s celebration.

They still continue in full vogue among the Russian people, notwithstanding the many changes that have been wrought in popular custom in the lapse of centuries. For village boys to mask as bears, wolves, horses, and other animals, and go about from house to house on New Year’s Eve, accompanied by musicians, and there sing comic songs and dance, especially in imitation of trained dancing bears, is a favorite amusement in the land of the czars ; and peasants and farmers treat these jolly visitors hospit ably with beer or liquor, andjfrequently give them money.