Show the syrian bvm year all LL the christiana 0 of new york do not observe EM I 1 christmas as aa a time for or 0 santa claus the syrians byrans for instance who live in the lower end of manhattan island in washington street from the battery up to albany street have an old custom of giving their presents on new years day then there also la Is a difference in the manner ot of giving the syrian children do not hang up their sto stollings clings neither do the parents disguise themselves as santa claus claua on the contrary the syrian child invariably knows who Is going to be his santa claus claue and consequently is treated to no extraordinary surprise there Is one thing however of which he remains in ignorance and that Is the nature of the present he be will receive the child picks out ou whosoever he thinks will treat him best beat in case he succeeds in meeting and greeting him it at the proper time on new years day then comes a long vigil for midnight as the custom so prescribes it that the one who offers the first greeting at the beginning of the new year shall receive a fitting reward from the one ire tre eted A good wish tor for success and prosperity in the ficat hour hou r of new years yeara day Is held by the syrians to augur well tor for the following twelve month and the one who first als bea good prospects Is entitled to a reward custom prescribes that at the time of this new years greeting whatever the one greeted happens to hold bold in his hia hand becomes the property ot of the othor other the one who receives the greet las ing is EUP supposed DOsed to oe no so pleased with it that acting upon the happy impulse of the moment he be hesitates not to requite his bla greeter with whatever he first can lay hold on this latter custom originated in feudal times when the emir was chent in hla his province and his followers depended tor for their sustenance upon his gifts and what he allowed them of the plunders plunder a of war of course you cant nowadays sur our ZW Z W J ehg sr aib bell bellaro wild ay aly 66 kelyer kel alood I 1 ekr ake yea is ie irl i ake e r kt air ib our oar wild ballad be llad let lei amm dis r AN aty s s vy e as a S MS S f ata e SS up W as m c samy 4 an A M K tak S I 1 lie IM ww fia MW SiSi L r 7 7 1 v 4 wc ez W 4 ea 40 V prise any syrian early new years year s day fooling with a costly article he can be depended on as knowing bet ter for either he be would have to make a gift of it to the one who first greets greet ed him or else he be branded as a miser wise syrians carry candy to hand band to the children who greet them other day and the chinese and japanese still another but whenever the day falls according to their special calendar there la is always a very important celebration of 0 it the drulle druids who were the priests ot of england before the christian religion was taken into great britain also aleo celebrated new years day they were very interesting and very strange people these druids druies and according to what one reads about them in history one always imagines them as wearing beautiful white robes and having tall magnificent figures figurea and flowing white beards and |