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New Year's Gifts
The Greeks transmitted the custom to the Romans, and the Romans
to the early Britons. The Roman presents were called strenae, whence the French term étrenne (a New, Year's gift). Our
forefathers used to bribe the magistrates with gifts on New Year's
Day- a custom abolished by law in 1290, but even down to the reign of
James II. the monarchs received their tokens.
N.B. Nonius Marcellus says that Tatius, King of the Sabines, was
presented with some branches of trees cut from the forest sacred to the
goddess Strenia (strength, on New Year's Day, and from this
happy omen established the custom.
Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894 More on New Year's Gifts from Infoplease:
- To Miss Logan, With Beattie's Poems, For A New-Year's Gift, Jan. 1, 1787. - Poems and Songs of Robert Burnsby Robert Burns Mr. William Smellie—A Sketch To Miss Logan, ...
- New Year's Gifts - New Year's Gifts The Greeks transmitted the custom to the Romans, and the Romans to the early ...
- 1787 - Poems and Songs of Robert Burnsby Robert Burns 1786 1788 1787 Contents To Miss Logan, With ...
- Etrennes - Etrennes (2 syl.). New-year's gifts are so called in France. Strenia, the Roman goddess, had ...
- William Shakespeare: Merry Wives of Windsor, Act III, Scene V - Bardolph, I say,—
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