New Year

Celtic Folklore: Welsh and Manx

• attestation: He went to the lake on New Year's Eve, saw her, was fascinated by her, and left in despair at her vanishing out of sight, although he cried out to her to stay and be his wife (Celtic Folklore: Welsh and Manx > Volume I > Chapter I: Undine's Kymric Sisters)

  "He went to the lake on New Year's Eve, saw her, was fascinated by her, and left in despair at her vanishing out of sight, although he cried out to her to stay and be his wife."

• attestation: his hopes were fulfilled on New Year's Eve (Celtic Folklore: Welsh and Manx > Volume I > Chapter I: Undine's Kymric Sisters)

  "his hopes were fulfilled on New Year's Eve."

• attestation: i, 2, 3, 5), they are observed by some on that night, and by others on New Year's Eve, sometimes according to the Old Style * and sometimes the New (Celtic Folklore: Welsh and Manx > Volume I > Chapter IV: Manx Folklore)

  "But as to the others (Nos. i, 2, 3, 5), they are observed by some on that night, and by others on New Year's Eve, sometimes according to the Old Style * and sometimes the New."

• attestation: New Year's Day, to the houses of their more wealthy neighbours; some one of the company repeating in an audible voice the following rhyme:— (Celtic Folklore: Welsh and Manx > Volume I > Chapter V: The Fenodyree and his Friends)

  "old times on what they termed the qualtagh, at Christmas or New Year's Day, to the houses of their more wealthy neighbours; some one of the company repeating in an audible voice the following rhyme:—"

• attestation: At present New Year's Day is the time when the qualtagh is of general interest, and in this case he is, outside the members of one's own household, practically the first person one sees on the morning (Celtic Folklore: Welsh and Manx > Volume I > Chapter V: The Fenodyree and his Friends)

  "At present New Year's Day is the time when the qualtagh is of general interest, and in this case he is, outside the members of one's own household, practically the first person one sees on the morning of that day, whether that person meets one out of doors or comes to one's house."

• attestation: I have heard it said in the south of the island that it is unlucky to meet a spaagagh in the morning at any time of the year, and not on New Year's Day alone; but this does not help us in the attempt (Celtic Folklore: Welsh and Manx > Volume I > Chapter V: The Fenodyree and his Friends)

  "I have heard it said in the south of the island that it is unlucky to meet a spaagagh in the morning at any time of the year, and not on New Year's Day alone; but this does not help us in the attempt to find the genesis of this belief."

• attestation: There is one other question which I should like to ask before leaving the qualtagh, namely, as to the relation of the custom of New Year's gifts to the belief in the qualtagh (Celtic Folklore: Welsh and Manx > Volume I > Chapter V: The Fenodyree and his Friends)

  "There is one other question which I should like to ask before leaving the qualtagh, namely, as to the relation of the custom of New Year's gifts to the belief in the qualtagh."

• attestation: My question then is this: Is there any essential connexion of origin between the institution of New Year's Day gifts and the belief in the first-foot (Celtic Folklore: Welsh and Manx > Volume I > Chapter V: The Fenodyree and his Friends)

  "My question then is this: Is there any essential connexion of origin between the institution of New Year's Day gifts and the belief in the first-foot?"