The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

NEW YEAR'S EVE CUSTOM

EVERY SINCE I COULD REMEMBER, WE WERE GIVEN SOME SILVER
MONEY TO HOLD IN OUR HANDS AT MIDNIGHT ON NEW YEAR'S
EVE. IF WE DID THIS, WHEREVER WE WERE, AS THE CHURCH
BELLS AND FACTORY WHISTLES RANG OUT THE OLD, AND RANG
IN THE NEW YEAR, WE WOULD HAVE MONEY ALL YEAR LONG
AND WE WOULDN'T RUN SHORT.
WE WOULD KEEP THE MONEY IN A "SAFE" PLACE, AND THEN
THE FOLLOWING CHRISTMAS EVE, WE WOULD PUT IT INTO THE
"POOR BOX" AT CHURCH.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT

Date learned: 04-00-1965