Morgan County News | 1947-12-26 | Page 6 | New Year's Joy

NW YEARS it S JOY the theme of new years day always has been one of joy regardless of the country or the people or of the date on which it was celebrated joy marked the spirit in which it was observed new years day of the madans is given as october 17 of the hebrews as september and of the chinese as early february the ancient egyptians phoeni clans and persians began their year at the autumnal equinox september 21 and the greeks until the fifth century B C at the winter solstice december 21 in B C the latter altered the new years day to june 21 the ancient romans celebrated december 21 but this was altered to january 1 by caesar in adopting the julian calendar march 25 was the date observed among most christian peoples in medieval days in anglo saxon england however december 25 was new years day until it was changed to january I 1 at the norman conquest but later it was changed to march 25 and so remained until the english adopted the gregorian calendar