This is a Renaissance Crossword Question: "This kind of music continued to be very important"
Its 12 letters long.

Question: "The last name of our 'Composer to Know' this month - he wrote over 500 madrigals!"
Its 7 letters long.

ok so u have2 basically

it's a secular holiday. it is and was a custom developed to recognize the ending of a time and a wish for a good future. the kind of kiss you exchange, if you are single, is intended to predict what kind of year you will have in the coming year.

it is saying good bye to the last year with all its ups and downs, and hello to the new year, with all its hopes and dreams.