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CARNEGIE LIBRARY OF PITTSBURGH
rush off to offer good wishes to their parents. In the afternoon the
younger people call upon their older relations, and in the evening all
meet for dinner at the home of the head of the family. . .
New Year wishes and "compliments of the season" are familiar to
us all, but in England we have not that custom of paying formal calls
which in France is so characteristic of January i, when not only relations
and personal friends, but people whose connection is purely official
are expected to visit one another. In devout Brittany the wish
exchanged takes a beautiful religious form—"I wish you a good year
and Paradise at the end of your days."
New Year calling is by no means confined to France. In the
United States it is one of the few traces left by the early Dutch
settlers on American manners. The custom is now rapidly falling into
disuse, but in New York up to the middle of the nineteenth century
"New Year's Day was devoted to the universal interchange of visits.
Every door was thrown wide open. It was a breach of etiquette to
omit any acquaintance in these annual calls, when old friendships were
renewed and family differences amicably settled. A hearty welcome
was extended even to strangers of presentable appearance." At that
time the day was marked by tremendous eating and drinking, and its
visiting customs sometimes developed into wild riot. Young men in
barouches would rattle from one house to another all day long. "The
ceremony of calling was a burlesque. There was a noisy and hilarious
greeting, a glass of wine was swallowed hurriedly, everybody shook
hands all round, and the callers dashed out and rushed into the carriage
and were driven rapidly to the next house."
The New Year calling to offer good wishes resembles in some respects
the widespread custom of "first-footing," based on the belief
that the character of the first visitor on New Year's Day affects the
welfare of the household during the year.. .
The "first-foot" superstition is found in countries as far apart as
Scotland and Macedonia...
In Scotland, the most Protestant region of Europe, the country in
which Puritanism abolished altogether the celebration of Christmas,
New Year's Day is a great occasion, and is marked by various interesting
usages, its importance being no doubt largely due to the fact that
it has not to compete with the Church feast of the Nativity. Nowadays,
indeed, the example of Anglicanism is affecting the country to
a considerable extent, and Christmas Day is becoming observed in the
churches. The New Year, however, is still the national holiday, and
January I a great day for visiting and feasting, the chief, in fact, of
all festivals. New Year's Day and its Eve are often called the "Daft
Days"; cakes and pastry of all kinds are eaten, healths are drunk, and
calls are paid. . .
"On the approach of twelve o'clock, a hot pint was prepared^that is,
a kettle or flagon full of warm, spiced, and sweetened ale, with an infusion
of spirits. When the clock had struck the knell of the departed
year, each member of the family drank of this mixture 'A good health