Gift-giving was perhaps the central component of the large, merry festivals held each year in Dufay's time on New Year's Day. Important social ties, both diplomatic and amorous, could be sealed or broken on the strength of gifts. Composers, naturally, often made their offerings in music. Ockeghem is known to have presented the French King with a chanson on New Year's Day of 1459.

Dufay, on his side of it, makes reference to gift-giving in numerous New Years chansons. These occasional pieces were often seized upon by composers as an opportunity to cultivate totally urbane, markedly uncourtly sentiments. The texts overflowed with earthly themes and bawdy humor. The narrator of Ce jour de l'an offers both himself entire and all of his worldly goods to the beloved lady, eagerly looking forward to "the pleasant custom it behoves all lovers to keep."

Appropriately, Dufay modified his style a little for such works. The usual balanced unfolding of irregular phrases is replaced here by clean-cut triple dance rhythms and simple, catchy motives. But while the piece lends itself to a performance at a quick tempo, and is considerably pared down, Dufay's setting remains rich enough, the counterpoint intricate enough in detail, that the music doesn't fall into mere skipping and jumping ebullience. Thoroughly Apollonian, Dufay could hardly have done anything as straightforward or entirely profane as that.

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