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Show Curiodiitj, J4ope Qrest Mew yisar Jiand in J4and Curiosity and , superstition always have greeted the New Year hand in hand with mankind's bright hope for the future. In olden times, families sought a glimpse into the year just beginning begin-ning by observing the 'dipping' custom. With his eyes closed, the head of the house opened the family fam-ily Bible and indicated a passage with his finger; the text, solemnly read and interpreted by the family, was indicative of the luck good or bad that was in store. Probably one of the most widespread wide-spread superstitions concerned the "first-footer," the first person to cross the threshold on New Year's morning. Women and light-haired men were considered unlucky "first-footers," as were people who walked pigeon-toed. In some villages, the superstition was taken so seriously that a dark-haired dark-haired man was given the first-footer first-footer job and, going from house to house, he would be the- first person per-son to cross the threshold, thus preserving the good fortune of the community. Anglo - Saxons,' believing that something might happen when the New Year burst in, often climbed upon the roof on New Year's Eve so as to have a good view of any such event. And we moderns make as much noise as possible, presumably because be-cause our primitive ancestors believed be-lieved that noise would keep evil influences at a distance. |