Brefie said:
Happy Hogmanay, Jayelles! Don't the Scottish have a tradition about bringing coal across the threshold or something like that?
Happy New Year to all!
Yes, coal used to be a tradition symbolising prosperity but we don't bother with that now
We call New Year's Eve "Hogmanay" (hog-man-AY) - I have no idea why. There are huge celebrations - New Year is the main event of the year here. The 1st and 2nd of January are statutary holidays - probably because it takes most Scots that long to sober up!
We had a Hogmanay meal and friends joined us. We had a big steak pie which is a pie with like a beef stew in it. Mashed potato and veggies. Then we had a big sherry trifle. Pretty plain fayre but it's traditional.
Then we normally have drinks until about 11.55 when we open the back door of the house. This lets the old year slip out quietly. Most people put their tvs or radios on because Big Ben, the big clock at Westminster in London is the official New Year "bells" and Big Ben is transmitted all over the country at new Year. So we wait fo Big Ben to peel midnight and then all H*ell lets loose. We throw the front door open to welcome in the new year and call greetings to our neighbours. People let fireworks off, boats and cars sound their horns. If someone plays the bagpipes, they will often go out and play in the street. It's a very merry time. Then we party for about two days!
New Years day is called Ne'erday (Nerr-day). We usually have a semi-comatose family dinner in the evening and then we party some more.
There is lots of visiting at new year and basically, after the "Bells" you can visit anyone who has their lights on. It's called "First Footing". The first footers take a bottle with them and they accept a drink from their host and then return a drink from their own bottle. There's lots of visiting at New Year and people just arrive and surprise you - it's expected. We had several visitors today - some former students of mine which was nice.
At New Year we eat shortbread (shortie) and fruit cake (black bun) with tea or coffee but the traditional dram of whisky is also offered. We expect to hear people revelling in the street.