New Year Calling

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

New Year “calling” was like speed dating in the 19^th century.    

The custom, which is thought to have been brought to America by the Dutch, involved gentlemen visiting the homes of as many ladies as possible on New Year’s Day.  

Calling Card Tray

Ladies would announce that they would be receiving callers or it would simply be assumed so.  The women would get all gussied up.  The men would, too.  In gloves and ties, men came bearing calling cards (about the size of a playing card) which they carried in ample supply in the breast pocket of their coats.  Men would present their card or leave it in a basket or tray at each lady’s door. 

A lady’s door was open to any man of presentable appearance--acquaintance or stranger.  For the man, a sort of mad dash from home to home ensued.  A quick introduction or greeting at the door was followed by eating and perhaps downing a glass of wine, sharing a hearty wish for a happy New Year, and shaking hands.  Then the gentleman was out the door and on his way to the home of the next lady. 

It was the calling cards that ladies vied for.  While the men sought to visit the most women, the ladies wanted to collect the most calling cards.

There was a ritual to follow with calling cards.  If the lady desired to formally visit with a gentleman again, she would send a card in return.  If no card was sent or his card was returned in an envelope, this was a signal that the lady did not wish for a personal visit.  It was the 1800s equivalent of failing to accept a friend request on Facebook.    

   

By 1900, the practice was out of vogue.  The Algoma Press in December 1899 reported that New Year calling had pretty much died out.   The newspaper relayed that in places like New York it was already going extinct by the 1880s. 

Today, while it might be ludicrous to open one’s home to strangers for New Year calling, perhaps the distinctive and mannerly art of presenting a calling card might be a custom worth resurrecting. 

Calling card photos are from “The Gentleman’s Guide to the Calling Card” and “Days of Elegance” websites.