ABSTRACT
The torn papers on the shoji are mended. New dresses are bought or old ones are cleaned. The servants are paid their wages in late December, so that they can pay their bills and buy needed things, to get ready for the New Year. The old year goes out with a fierce frown upon all brows, the result of savage collection of all debts and the payment of all bills. The population is divided into two classes, the pursuers and the pursued. But when the New Year morning breaks, the frown on everyone's brow has vanished. With smiles and greetings in formal language and with much ceremony, congratulations are universally exchanged. The friendliness is so gracious and the good wishes expressed so warm-hearted, one would never suspect that the day before they had been taking each other by the throat and saying, "Pay me what thou owest." New Year's calls are now made in decreasing numbers; some persons escape to a watering place in order to avoid the burden of New Year's amenities. The gues~s either leave their cards in a tray at the entrance or remove their shoes and enter for a formal visit. To these wine is served and cakes. If you should ask that ancient question, "Who hath redness of eyes?" the answer now would be, "The Japanese caller who has paid a half a dozen or more visits to his friends on New Year's morning." The conventional phrases invariably used on meeting are:
"Well, the year is opened." "Let us hope that there will be no change" (in relations between
us). "New Year's congratulations to you." After each one of these felicitations a profound bow is interjected. Another phase of New Year's Day as observed by the Japanese is
the gala attire in which the people appear. The black morning coat and silk hat with striped trousers will be worn by those who have adopted yo/uku.
