It looks like the author went to Wales for the Eisteddfod in 1982, which suggests some degree of interest in Celtic traditions.

Also, the 1st of January is described as "civil new year", which implies there's some other new year on a different day, which could be samhain.

In the US Federal Government we also have to deal with the fiscal new year which starts in October for some bizarre reason (yearly budgets go from October 1st to September 30).

I am not sure if there is some context to "neopagan" that I don't know, but I knew wiccans in the military in 1990.