When we forget the ‘man-made’ calendar and take a long look at nature's moods, this old method of time calculation begins to make a great deal of sense. At the beginning of the modern new year celebrations, trees have already started to produce swelling buds and migratory fish like Salmon and Sea Trout have long since dropped their eggs in highland streams. Nature celebrates her own New Year like the Celts did, several months before today's more thoughtless event.

Many parts of our modern culture are thinly based on the vast wisdom of our ancient Pagan ancestors. Naturally, trouble-making religious fundamentalists eager to gain a platform for their intolerant, sectarian worldview often try to refute this historical fact. January for instance receives its title from the great Roman God of doorways/new ventures, ‘Janus.’ This deity was usually portrayed in art with two heads. One looking to the past whilst the other viewed the future. Some ancient scholars have preferred to think of this God as watching over the commencement and finish of the sun's travel though the daily sky. I personally think that both schools of thought contain a modicum of truth. Janus then, lends his name to the New Year's beginning and like us, he looks nostalgically back at the past then into the exciting future to come.

The Romans held a sacred feast day on the 12th of January (and also on the 6th of March) called the ‘Compitalia.’ This antediluvian festival was performed in honour of the household Gods, the ’Lares.’ These much-loved deities were two in number and their father was ‘Mercury’-messenger of the Gods. During this occasion masters would serve meals to their servants as they did in December at the Saturnalia. Special incense was burnt on the Lares' altar and oil lamps would light the chilled night air. Tree branches decorated the rooms and hallways, whilst small images of the Lares adorned tables. The Lares were also venerated in May when bright flowers featured largely in the happy event. The name Compitalia relates to the title "Lares-Compitales," meaning protective deities of the crossroads. Thus an important part of the Compitalia itself was celebrated at places were pathways crossed. The name Lares comes from the Etruscan word "Lars" that means conductor or leader. Images of straw men and the dried heads of poppy flowers were a favourite offering to these Roman Gods.

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