Many ancient peoples started the year at harvesttime. They performed rituals to do away with the past and purify themselves for the new year. For example, some people put out the fires they were using and started new ones.

In early times, the ancient Romans gave each other New Year's gifts of branches from sacred trees. In later years, they gave gold-covered nuts or coins imprinted with pictures of Janus, the god of gates, doors, and beginnings. January was named after Janus, who had two faces--one looking forward and the other looking backward. The Romans also brought gifts to the emperor. The emperors eventually began to demand such gifts. But the Christian church outlawed this custom and certain other pagan New Year's practices in A.D. 567.

The ancient Persians gave New Year's gifts of eggs, which symbolized productiveness. The Celtic priests of what is now England gave the people branches of mistletoe, which was considered sacred.

The Celts took over many New Year's customs from the Romans, who invaded the British Isles in A.D. 43. By the 1200's, English rulers had revived the Roman custom of asking their subjects for New Year's presents. Common presents included jewelry and gold. Queen Elizabeth I acquired a large collection of richly embroidered and jeweled gloves through this custom. English husbands gave their wives money on New Year's Day to buy pins and other articles. This custom disappeared in the 1800's. However, the term pin money still means small amounts of spending money.

Many American colonists in New England celebrated the new year by firing guns into the air and shouting. They also visited taverns and houses to ask for drinks. Other colonists attended church services. Some people held open house, welcoming all visitors and feeding them generously.

Another old custom involved using the Bible to predict what would happen in the new year. People chose a passage of the Bible at random. They then applied the passage to the coming months of the new year.

Can you recreate one of the above ancient New Years Traditions? Or do you know of another? Post it here! Happy New Year!

"First footing" it was called, where people used to hide behind doors waiting for a dark haired person to come calling at the house bearing gifts of coal, bread, money and greenery. Well although not dark haired, I've brought with me a lump of coal (although I can't confess to creating that one myself...it was a rock that I recoloured) and some eggs which I did create. Sorry, one egg got broken on the way LOL.
	Deb
	OK, this one might take a little explanation... Besides the obvious connection with where where you might find yourself kneeling in front of on the morning of New Years Day, I googled up a tradition where people used to let NOTHING leave their houses on the first day of the year. Even trash. I forgot about that little tradition until New Years Day morning when I got up from bed to use the restroom... And as I flushed the toilet thoughtlessly, I realized my luck for the year was leaving the house via the sewer pipes!
Elisabeth
Okie dokie....here's some mistletoe & eggs.
	Karen