Residents of Pennsylvania with a Pennsylvania German background may be familiar with the term “Shooting in the New Year.”

Actually, the custom began on Christmas Eve in some parts of Europe and is still observed on that day in Germany,

Emigrants brought this custom with them to the United States, where it sometimes migrated from Christmas Eve to New Year's Eve. In the eighteenth-century bands of men tramped from house to house between midnight and dawn on New Year's Eve in Pennsylvania's German communities. They shot off their guns, recited folk rhymes, and partook of each household's hospitality. This noisy habit irritated some of their neighbors. In 1774 the Pennsylvania Assembly attempted to preserve the general peace by passing an act prohibiting any random firing of guns on or around New Year's Day.

In spite of this opposition, the custom of shooting in the new year lingered on in some German American communities until well into the twentieth century. [1]

The December 1949 edition of the Pennsylvania Dutchman, a newspaper dedicated to folklore and customs explained:

“It was customary formerly for young men and old ones, too, to assemble on New Year's Eve at a place agreed up on, where they then remained, enjoying supper and liquid refreshments until the grandfather's clock struck 12. At that hour the group, consisting of a wisher, some shooters, and sometimes a fiddler, set forth for the night.”

The newspaper article’s author stated, “It is true that there are hardly any people in the country today who don't like to hear a wish recited for them, but still the Berks Countian of the present doesn't receive the wishers nearly so well as the people did 60 years ago. "When I was a young man the farmer who wasn't visited by the New Year shooting party considered himself very much insulted, since they generally slighted only disreputable farmers.

In many farmhouses the old folks and the grown boys and girls sat up all night, waiting for the New Year visiting party. When at last the merry shooters and wishers arrived, they called out the farmer and his family, whereupon one of the wishers commenced to deliver a household wish.

A volley was fired after each wish. Sometimes as high as four wishes were delivered at one farmhouse. In those days there was a meal ready at nearly every farm when the party called. "The girls all did their very best to produce a meal that the party would pronounce the best they met on the route. The girl who succeeded in making the best was talked about very much, even in the stores and taverns. The party could, of course, not eat much at every place, but they had to eat and drink a little or else those people would have been greatly displeased.

Every member of the party had a great deal of fun, but they hardly ever became disorderly. Drunken people were not allowed to travel along. Some parties numbered 25 when they started out, but many always joined along the route, sometimes swelling the number above 50. That time no man who could walk along was considered too old to join in. They very seldom allowed boys under 18 years of age to go along."

We do need to put a few disclaimers associated with the custom. Some neighbors, who did not take part in the custom, were annoyed by the shootings, the well-wishers, and partygoers. 

Although the “Shooting in the New Year” custom was more prevalent among the Pennsylvania Germans in southeastern Pennsylvania such as Berks, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh and York, the tradition was also brought into other counties of the Susquehanna Valley, where Pennsylvania Germans settled. 

The Miner’s Journal of Pottsville in its December 27, 1906 edition, had a story that read: “Chief of Police Davies has issued an edict against shooting on New Year, and has issued instructions to all the members of the police force to arrest every offender against his order.” The Chief’s order stemmed from a murder that took place earlier that year on July 4^th when hundreds of people discharged firearms, and one man used the revelry and noise to take the life of a man named James Frizzell.

An article in the January 08, 1853, edition of the Sunbury Gazette of Northumberland County, detailed the accidental death of a man during the custom of shooting in the New Year:

“On Saturday morning, the first instant, an accident occurred in Cameron township, in this county, which resulted in the immediate death of a person by the name of Peter Shily, a resident of Northumberland. It seems that several persons were out for the purpose of shooting for the New Year, as has long been the practice in the country. They came to the house where the deceased was on a visit, and shooting off their guns, went into the house. The deceased being acquainted with the company, asked them to shoot again for him, when John Gatshall, one of the party, commenced to load, his gun.

After having put the powder in it he took it up in his arm to put on the cap, and squeezing the cap with the dog of the lock, to press it tight, the gun went off, and the deceased, standing close behind him, received the load in his head…” The newspaper reported the victim died immediately.

And the January 09, 1885, edition of the Northumberland County Democrat, carried a story first reported in the Lewisburg Journal in Union County.

“A correspondent informs us that Merril Bostian, aged about 7 years, son of Harris Bostian, residing near Kelly's X Roads, accidentally shot Mrs. Frank Baker with a revolver on New Year’s Day. His father had been out shooting off New Year, as it is called, and having, as he thought, discharged all the loads, he sent his son home with the revolver. On his way home the boy stopped at Baker's and while showing Mrs Baker, the revolver went off. The ball entered her left side and striking a rib glanced off. The wound is not considered dangerous. Another warning against placing revolvers in bands of children. -Lewisburg Journal

My scanning of newspapers found that while the custom of shooting in the New Year mainly disappeared in the early 20^th century, a number of fire companies, and sportsmen’s associations had taken up the custom of holding competitive shooting matches on New Year's Day.

The 21^st century in Pennsylvania has found many community celebrations with fireworks and focusing on a New Year’s Eve drop.

In Beavertown, Snyder County a stuffed beaver is dropped.

In Burnham, Mifflin County, starting in 2018, a replica railroad wheel was dropped honoring Standard Steel LLC, which has operated for over 200 years.

Lewistown, Juniata County a bag of Hartley's potato chips is dropped.

McClure, Snyder County, A kettle is dropped in honor of the McClure Bean Soup Festival.

Port Royal in Juniata County drops a sprint car at midnight

Pottsville, Pennsylvania: A bottle of Yuengling beer is raised.

Shamokin, Pennsylvania: A chunk of coal is dropped, turning into a diamond at the bottom; the event has been held since 1987–88.

Shenandoah, Pennsylvania: A giant pierogi with kielbasi is dropped

Sunbury, Pennsylvania: An incandescent lamp is lit as an homage to the Hotel Edison and its namesake, Thomas Edison.

Customs have certainly changed over the years, but the caution to celebrate safely continues here in the 21^st century.