The work opens with an affectionate dedication and a preface outlining a vast calendar of popular antiquities. The author sets out to chronicle manners, customs, and seasonal pastimes for every single day of the year. January is introduced with ancient mythology, the Roman god Janus, and the Saxon name wolf month, reflecting the harsh conditions of winter. The text details holy days such as the circumcision and stories of various Irish saints accompanied by curious legends of floating mantles and immovable feet.
New year observances unfold through historical accounts of gifts, royal customs under Elizabeth and James, and rustic traditions like wassailing apple trees and burning juniper in the Highlands. Accounts of longevity, weather signs, and the resumption of labor on Plough Monday provide a vivid picture of rural life. Further sections record old chronicles, remarkable trials, and the historical events associated with early January days, all interwoven with poetry and descriptive observations of the changing season.
