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Are you going first footing this year? 29th December 2021 Hello and welcome to today's wee article you wonderful bunch of awesome superstars. New Year is fast approaching, so let's talk about some Scottish traditions! **Do you know that in Scotland, we celebrate New Year more than we do Christmas?** It is a fact, although Christmas gets more and more popular each year. Let's rewind in history. Christmas was virtually banned in Scotland for around 400 years, from the end of the 17th century to the 1950s. During the Protestant Reformation the straight-laced and boring Kirk (church) decreed that Christmas was a Popish or Catholic feast, and as such needed banning. So right up until the 1950s there was no Christmas in Scotland! Also many Scots worked over Christmas. In fact, many people now still check whether they are working on Christmas or New Year and will swap Christmas to have New Year off. We also have a public holiday on January 2nd not just January 1st! Traditionally then Scots would celebrate their winter solstice holiday at New Year when family and friends would gather for a party and to exchange presents which came to be known as hogmanays. We don't say New Years Eve, we say Hogmanay and boy oh boy, you will never have seen so much drink drunk in your lives as at Hogmanay. It is thought that many of the traditional Hogmanay celebrations were originally brought to Scotland by the invading Vikings in the early 8th and 9th centuries. These Norsemen, or men from an even more northerly latitude than Scotland, paid particular attention to the arrival of the Winter Solstice or the shortest day of the year and celebrated its passing with some serious partying. In Shetland, where the Viking influence remains strongest, New Year is still called Yules, deriving from the Scandinavian word for the midwinter festival of Yule. I remember when I was working up there, at Yules there would be bonfire after bonfire and whisky drinking like it was pints of beer! Before midnight on the 31st December you should: clean the house taking out the ashes from the fire aad most importantly you should clear all your debts before “the bells” sound at midnight The message is to clear out the remains of the old year, have a clean break and welcome in a young, New Year on a happy note. We welcome the bells by singing Robert Burns‘ “Auld Lang Syne”. Burns published his version in 1788, although the tune was in print over 80 years before this. https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/Robert-Rabbie-Burns/ *“Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?* *Should auld acquaintance be forgot and auld lang syne* *For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne,* *We’ll take a cup o kindness yet, for auld lang syne.”* https://youtu.be/6lMlGDZ5xBo Before Covid, you would see the bells in at a Hogmanay party, to welcome friends and strangers with warm hospitality and of course lots of enforced kissing for all. You could knock on a door and be welcomed in. Back to the title now ... To ensure good luck for the house the first foot of the New Year (the first foot over the doorstep into the house) should be a tall dark-haired male, and he should bring with him symbolic pieces of coal, shortbread, salt, black bun and a wee dram of whisky. I was often made to go first foot people being tall and dark. The dark-haired male bit is believed to be a throwback to the Viking days, when a big blonde stranger arriving on your doorstep with a big axe meant big trouble, and probably not a very happy New Year! Tomorrow I shall tell you about some of the happenings that people do on the first of January! Copyright **@TengoLoTodo** 2021 and yes All Rights Reserved. All images, words, and ramblings are from the author unless otherwise stated. Lead Image from unsplash. https://read.cash/@TengoLoTodo And don't forget ;) https://read.cash/@TengoLoTodo/oh-yes-i-dream-but-when-61217b40#and-don039t-forget **Haste ye back.** https://read.cash/@TengoLoTodo/oh-yes-i-dream-but-when-61217b40#haste-ye-back Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Scotland. https://read.cash/@TengoLoTodo/80-giveaway-4a77484f#wishing-everyone-a-very-merry-christmas-and-a-happy-new-year-from-scotland
54 comments
I can smell the new years approaching. You are right teng that before the new year will enter, people were busy cleaning and disposing those toxins things in the house.
Yes out with old and in with the new
On the first day of January, we are not allowed to spend money 🤣. A Filipino belief .. that must be a sad Christmas for you guys. I can't imagine the world without it.
Really no spending money on January 1st. We used to have sales in the shops here on Boxing Day and January 1st so people would save up all year to spend, now with online shopping they don't really have the same sales. Well we have Christmas since the 1950s but yes must have weird without it!
Yesterday I started do a little cleaning in our house, as we believe that our house should be clean before the New year come to welcome a new day with cleanliness so that it may lead our whole year with clean mind's. They says it is also good to keep everything clean so dirty things, negativity and toxins will be washed away for the whole year.
ah I hope you had fun while cleaning! Happy New Year
and what if people do not have that criteria of male tall dark haired male. by the way it sounded so traditional otherwise I was thinking that Scotland is like normally Western countries with no any formal traditions. by the way that line was really good. you awesome superbunch of the people
hehe am glad you like that line! There are many traditions here, some are still performed on the islands but not in cities. Happy New Year
Here in yhe Philippines there's no holiday when you're not working at the government. Sad to think that other people can't celebrate their holidays with their loveones because of their work
Yes, now many people work on the holidays unless you work for a bank or the governement. Happy New Year
Awesome I would love to know what traditions they have Happy New Year my friend
I will see if I can post some today Happy New Year
On the first day of the year,we go to church and it's a tradition to us here... I'll like to hear happenings that happens on the first day of a new year.
ah church here it is more important that we goto church on Christmas Eve the 24th, if people only go once a year then it is to that service. Happy New Year
A very wonderful and happy new year to you as well. New year is always a big celebration for everyone because crossing over into a new year is a big deal for everybody. I learnt a lot about Scotland and Christmas/new year celebration.
Yes it is different, and a lot of Scottish people now don't know that we used to not celebrate Christmas 70 years ago. Happy New Year
The Scottish tradition is really amazing and I really didn't ever know that they don't have Christmas tho Thanks for the information
Well they started about 70 years ago, and am glad you read it. Happy New Year
What does auld lang syne means? We also do that here in the Philippines. Before New year's eve, we clean our house thoroughly, and if possible, debt free..
It is old Scots and basically means for old times sake, Yes the cleaning I think is done everywhere, and of course debt free is harder to do now Happy New Year
Oh I see, thanks and Happy New year too.
Advance Happy New Year DF! I really can't stop myselt but to be in awe with your traditions nad history. Here in the Philippines, as much as possible, we would clean our house and be debt-free as well hihi.
aww DF Happy New Year when it comes, you get it 8 hours before me! Yes I think everyone wants a clean house and the debt free is hard hihi
I love everything your culture states, it’s a lovely event on New Year’s Eve and yes the parting and fun is exciting although that’s too much drinking to get on with it… I learnt something from this, there was a bit of care within the usual tradition and that was beautiful.. Happy new year in addy Tengo
Yes it is a bit of fun, but the parties can last for days! Happy New Year
Thank you… it’s so nice to learn about it
No i AM NOT GOING HAHAHA
haha why not
The black-haired male thing is quite the symbolisation of a superstition 😂😂
It really is, especially as years ago, there were lots of red haired Scots and not so many dark haired Scots!
My dear friend, what interesting traditions and stories you have told about Scotland, I really enjoyed it, Scotland has a rich culture and beautiful traditions, I look forward to reading your next article... 👌
There are many traditions here, some are nonsense but it is interesting hearing what you think of them!
I love your tradition sir Ed. Hmm where do I find a tall, dark, and handsome guy to walk into our house and bring those stuff lol. What I will do before New Year though is make the prosperity bowl. I do believe too in cleaning the house before New Year to get rid of the dirt of the past :D I wish I am there so I can drink a lot on Hogmanay.
haha Glessa I am too far or I would have done for you :) Now I am intrigued as to what is your prosperity bowl! hehe yes I can see you drinking like a little fish hehe
Hahah how do you know I drink like a little fish dear Swanta Ed? Lol.. The prosperity bowl has 12 eggs and 12 round chocolates that represent the 12 months of the year and 7 bills as 7 days of the week. They are on top of the rice that fills the bowl.
Love your tradition, have a wonderful xmas and new year 🤗
It is fun and salamat, enjoy your Christmas and New Year too
We have so much beliefs celebrating Christmas and New Year's eve kuya. I am amazed with you history Kuya.
The country is full of history inday, some good some not so good!
Very interesting. We also have the first foot over the doorstep into the house, but on Christmas. The first person (usually a child) to enter the house on January 7 brings good luck 😊 and receives a gift from the people who live in that house. 😊 We also clean house tomorrow. 😀
Oh really so you do with a child! I think cleaning house is for everyone
Ahaan interesting facts about the Scottish. Here in my country we also have grand celebrations of the new years. Parties are arranged different events takes place
I hope you can have a party for this New Year
After Reading I got curious, was it intended to have that someone fit in description? I mean did it happened you gonna make a deal with someone so that your first foot will be considered
They believed that dark haired was the opposite to blonde haired Vikings who were the baddies
It's hogmanay 🎉 happy new year! What a nice tradition you got there. Oh my I haven't cleaned our home and I Don't know if my grandma did as we are not at home yet. We are here at my boyfriend's house because ours was still not completely fixed because of the typhoon and it's raining here as well
This is interesting, Ed. Don't drink too much at Hogmanay ;) I have coal, salt, the whisky and I can manage to find a black bun and shortbread for the first foot over the doorstep into my house but the tall dark-haired male is the hard part, lol
Its Hogmanay! 🥳 Happy New Year, there uncle. I'm excited to read what will happen on your January 1st. ☺️
happy new year Ed! I'll let you know if i found a tall dark haired male lol
"Hogmanay" I have learnt a Scottish word. I never knew that Christmas was once banned in Scotland. I'm a fan of history and I quite know some history of great Britain. Thanks to my dad who made me an anglophile when I was little.
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