In most places throughout West Wales, even at the present day, people are very particular as to whether they see a man or a woman the first thing on New Year’s morning. Mr. Williams in his “Llen-gwerin Sir Gaerfyrddin,” says that in parts of Carmarthenshire in order to secure future luck or success during the coming year, a man must see a woman, and a woman a man. And the Rev. N. Thomas, Vicar of Llanbadarn Fawr, informed me that he has met people in his Parish who consider it lucky to see a woman first. As a rule, however, the majority of people both men and women deem it lucky to see a man, but unlucky to see a woman.
Even now in various parts of the country, good many object to the entrance of a woman before the in-coming of one of the other sex, this is particularly the case in the central parts of Cardiganshire, especially in the Parish of Llanddewi Brefi and surrounding districts between Lampeter and Tregaron. This is also true of some parts of Pembrokeshire.
According to the late Rector of Newport, Pembrokeshire, the man must needs bear one of the four lucky names—Dafydd, Ifan, Sion and Siencyn. “Supposing the man was not called by one of these names, the person first seen might as well be a woman, if she only bore one of the lucky names—Sian a Sioned, Mair a Marged. Then all would go well for that year at least. A hare or a magpie must not cross one before twelve, and the cock must not crow before supper on New Year’s Day, or some dire calamity might befall one after all.”
There was everywhere a general desire to see “the Old Year out and the New Year in.” In South Pembrokeshire some danced the old year out; some drank it out, and many walked it out. I was informed at Talybont, that once those who desired to see “the New Year in “crowded to each other’s houses in North Cardiganshire to pass the time in story-telling and feasting. The children especially, looked forward to New Year’s morning, with the greatest interest, as it was, and still is in some places, customary for them to go about from house to house, asking for “calenig,” or New Year’s gift. The children on such occasions often repeated something as follows:—
“Rhowch galenig yn galonog,
I ddyn gwan sydd heb un geiniog,
Gymaint roddwch, rhowch yn ddiddig,
Peidiwch grwgnach am ryw ychydig.
“Mi godais heddyw maes o’m ty,
A’m cwd a’m pastwn gyda mi,