NEW YEAR'S DAY. The first day of the year. The custom of celebrating by sonic re ligious observance, generally accompanied by festive rejoicing. the first day of the year, ap pears to have prevailed among most of the an cient nations. The Jews, the Egyptians, the Chinese. the Romans, and the Mohammedans, al though differing as to the time from which they reckoned the eommencement of the year. all re garded it as a day of special interest. in Rome the year anciently began in March: and when Yuma, according to the ancient legend, made the year begin on January 1st, that day was held sa cred to J(11111ti who was thus supposed to turn at once back upon the old year and forward into the new. On the establishment of Chris tianity, the usage of a solemn inauguration of the new year was retained; but considerable variety prevailed, both as to the time and as to the Manner of its celebration. Christmas Day, the Annunciation (March Easter Day. and .larch 1st have all, at different tittles or places, shared with January 1st the honor of opening the new year; nor was it till late in the sixteenth century that January 1st was in most countries accepted as the first day of the new year. The early fathers—Chrysostom, Ambrose. Augustine. Peter Chrysologus, and others—in reprobation of the immoral and superstitious observances of the pagan festival, prohibited in Christian use all festiVe (Til/ration; and, on the contrary, directed that the Christian year should be opened with a day of prayer, fasting, and humiliation. The mandate, however. was but part hilly observed.
The social observances of the first day of the new year appear to have been in substance the same in all ages. From the earliest recorded celebration we find notice of feasting; and the interchange of presents. Tradition referred the origin of New Year's gifts among the Romans to Tat his, King of the Sabines (B.C. 747 ). Branches cut from the wood consecrated to Strenia, the goddess of stremall, were received by him on the first day of the new year as of good omen. lie sanctioned the custom and called the
gifts SirellW (cf. French jour d'etrennes). In later times in Rome similar practices attended the worship of Salus. Simple siretur, consisting of branches of bay and of palm, sweetmeats made of honey, figs, or dates as a good omen that the year might bring only joy and happiness (Ovid.
i., 185-190), finally gave way to gifts of more elaborate character. The custom of pre senting gift, to the Emperor became so general that the people went rn mass(' to carry him presents and to wish Mtn a happy new year. The writers of the Empire describe other ob servances—exchanging visits. masquerading, and feasting—which characterized the day. The fes tival held by the Druids at the opening of the year resembles the worship of Salus by the Ro mans. The priests cut the sacred plant and distributed the sprays. In many countries the night before New Year's. `Saint Sylvester's Eve.' was celebrated with great festivity, which was prolonged till after twelve o'clock. when the new year was ushered in with congratulations, visits, and mutual wishes for a happy new year. This is an ancient Scottish custom, which also prevails in many parts of Germany. whore the form of wish—"Prosst- (for the Lat. prosit) Neu-jahr" —"Maysthe new year be the an tiquity of the custom. in many places the prac tice of tolling hells at midnight, and thus 'ringing in the new year.' is still observed. Many reli gions communions are wont to eclebrate it with a special service or watch night. In the Roman Catholic Chureh the Tr Drum is often sung at the close of the old year in thanksgiving for the blessings granted (hiring its course, and New )(ear's Day is a holy day of obligation. because on it falls the Feast of the Circumcision.