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1. NEW YEAR'S DAY 2. TWELFTH DAY 3. ST. VALENTINE'S DAY 4. PANCAKE TUESDAY 5. ST. DAVID'S DAY 6. ST. PATRICK'S DAY 7. ALL FOOLS' DAY 8. PALM SUNDAY 9. MAUNDY THURSDAY 10. GOOD FRIDAY 11. EASTER SUNDAY 12. ST. GEORGE'S DAY 13. MAY DAY 14. ROYAL OAK DAY 15. MIDSUMMER'S EVE 16. ST. SWITHIN'S DAY 17. MICHAELMAS DAY 18. ALL HALLOW'S EVE 19. GUY FAWKES' DAY 20. LORD MAYOR'S DAY 21. ST. ANDREW'S DAY 22. CHRISTMAS EVE 23. CHRISTMAS DAY 24. BOXING DAY
London Engraved & Printed at the _RACQUET COURT PRESS_ _by_ _EDMUND EVANS_.
Little children are usually snug in bed when the first holiday of the year arrives. It comes at midnight when all is dark out of doors. Sometimes the weather is very cold, here in England, with snow upon the ground; and as it nears midnight on the 31st December there is a great silence beneath the stars. The children are in bed; but in most homes there are grown-up people--fathers, mothers, uncles or aunts--who sit late and watch the clock. They watch; and when the clock strikes twelve they know that the first day of the New Year has arrived.
Then it is no longer silent out of doors. The bells are ringing loudly, and ringing merrily; they are ringing a welcome to the Stranger. So the grown-up people, who have been watching the clock, rise up smiling and wish each other a Happy New Year. The father says to the mother: "I wish you a Happy New Year, my dear," and in saying this they shake hands, and kiss each other. Then the mother, if she has children in bed, goes upstairs. They are all asleep; so she does not waken them. She simply kisses them, each one, and smiles as she whispers: "A Happy New Year to all of you, my dears." That is how the New Year arrives in England. In Scotland there is more ceremony. There it used to be the custom for the whole household to sit up till twelve o'clock and bring in the New Year with singing and frolic. But that custom is dying out.
You children, I hope, get to know about the New Year in the morning. You find that everybody is looking happy, and wishing happiness to other people. Even although the sun is not shining there is brightness in the house and in the street. People when they meet shake hands and joke and laugh. Your aunt will give you a good hug, and more than likely your uncle will put his hand into his pocket and give you something; something round and bright; something that will make you smile. Then you learn that the New Year brings gifts as well as gladness.