Happy New Year! A new year, a new calendar! 

We’re celebrating with this Poor Will’s Pocket Almanac for 1801.

This pocket almanac was owned by Hannah Rodman Fisher. She used it as a diary, filling it with notes about her travels, the people she saw, the weather, etc. With covers like these, we’d carry it with us everywhere, too!

Poor Will’s pocket almanack, for the year 1801. Philadelphia: Printed for, and sold by, Joseph & James Crukshank, [1800].

It’s New Year’s Day, which means one thing here in Philadelphia: the 2017 Mummers Parade!

The Mummers Parade is a masquerade and competition put on by local clubs called “New Years Associations”. The Mummers compete for first place in one of four categories: comics, fancies, string bands, and fancy brigades. They prepare elaborate costumes, performance routines, as well as moveable scenery, which take months to complete.

The first official Mummers Parade occurred January 1, 1901, but the local tradition can be traced back to the 17th century and is believed to be the oldest folk festival in the United States.

The Mummers badges shown above were owned by M. A. Bruder, who participated in several Mummers Parades in the early 20th century. 

Mummers badges. [Philadelphia,] 1908-1916. Various, approx. 13 x 4 inches.