"Compliments on the New Year"

So I walked into church the Sunday after I arrived back from my travels over the holidays and went to greet those who were around (as usual). One of the guys from the church stood up, shook my hand and said "Compliments!" I wasn't exactly sure what he was talking about, I even thought maybe he just likes my skirt or something, so I just said "Thank you very much!" and continued on greeting. Not too long after that I heard many more people greeting each other saying the same thing and I finally clued in that that's what they say here the first time people see each other after the New Year has come. Now even at the end of the month, people I meet who I'm seeing for the first time since are still giving me compliments on the new year to which I now emphatically respond "Thank you, compliments to you as well!"