January 4: New Year

Let’s talk everyday-gods in English, German, Dutch and French. Monday is devoted to the moon goddess: “Montag”, “maandag”, and in French “lundi”. Tuesday brings in German god Tyr: “dinsdag”, “Dienstag”. Except in French, as “mardi” refers to war god Mars. The third day is an odd one. Though German god Wodan sounds in “Wednesday” and “woensdag”, the Germans themselves stay neutral with “Mittwoch”, “middle of the week”. And the French stick with messenger god Mercury: “mercredi”. Thursday brings in Thor: “Donnerstag”, “donderdag”. But the French stay loyal to Jupiter: “jeudi”. On Friday, we add a woman: German goddess Freyja: “Freitag”, “vrijdag”. Again, the French prefer a Roman goddess, Venus: “vendredi”. “Samstag” and “samedi” refer to resting days, like in the Hebrew “sabbath”. While “zaterdag” and “Saturday” are devoted to Roman god Saturn. And two thousand years of Christianism only show in the French for Sunday: “dimanche” or “dies dominicus”, “the day of God”. While the rest of us just crave a sunny day.