1. a gift given at New Year or at the start of something new, especially as a token of good luck
Usage: chiefly Scottish and Northern English; often plural
2. the first money received in a day's trading or business
Usage: archaic or dialectal

1. to give a handsel to; to inaugurate or begin with a gift or ceremony
Usage: chiefly Scottish and Northern English; archaic

Examples

• Children in Scotland traditionally receive handsels on New Year's Day.
• The shopkeeper gave handsels to her regular customers at the start of the year.
• He handsel the new business with a ceremonial first transaction.
• Handsels were once common gifts to mark the beginning of a new venture.
• The tradition of exchanging handsels dates back centuries in Northern Britain.
• She handsel her apprentice with a small coin for good fortune.