At this time of year a century or more ago, our Pennsylvania German ancestors would be preparing for New Year festivities which included the "shooting in" of the New Year.* According to the old custom, cider, apples, and treats would be laid out for Wünsching Parties. These groups of well-wishers, consisting of the wünscher (reciter) and shooters who carried old muskets or guns, arrived at various houses bright and early in the chill morning hours of the New Year.**

      After rousing the household by calling out the name of the head of the house, the reciter bellowed out his New Year's greetings and then the shooters shot their guns into the air (if permission had been granted by the homeowner) to herald the arrival of the New Year.* The Wünsching party was then invited in to eat treats and get warm to fortify them for their continued journey. If the Wünsching Party passed a home without delivering a greeting, it meant the home-owners were not particularly popular with the community. 

      Editors and the staff of Pennsylvania German Newspapers also celebrated the New Year. They printed special New Year Greetings or Wishes, such as the one above printed by an unknown printer, to commemorate the event.*** In it, they wished for any variety of positive conditions for their subscribers throughout the New Year including health, wealth, and well-being. 

     Passed Time wanted to share this long ago New Year's tradition with you. Happy New Year!

*Soapbox Rant 2: Sometimes called "Pennsylvania Dutch" these are persons who emmigrated from German-speaking parts of Europe to America prior to 1809 (some use 1800 just for the sake of ease). Many scholars suggest their numbers were close to 50% of the population in the New Word's early history. Contrary to popular belief, only a small portion were Amish or Mennonite. Pennsylvania Germans took part in every portion of the history of the New World and American History. Even before Johann Peter Zenger's trial in 1735, which resulted in Freedom of Press, the American Revolution,  and so on...Pennsylvania Germans were involved. German-Americans came to America in later waves. By then the Pennsylvania Germans had assimilated and the two cultures were very different. 

**Stoudt, John Baer. The Folklore of the Pennsylvania Germans: A Paper Read Before the Pennsylvania-German Society at the Annual Meeting, York, Pennsylvania, October 14th, 1910. Philadelphia: William J. Campbell 1916. pp 102-103

***Photo courtesy of a private collection. Anonymous printer, circa 1850.

Disclaimer: As Passed Time is a history/nostalgia based website, we are simply relaying a tradition from the past. Should anyone decide to resurrect this tradition, Passed Time (and its kind and tireless workers) is not responsible for mayhem, damage, injury or death which may result. 

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