Ever wondered why Hogmanay is so important in Scotland? Or why there are so many rituals and traditions associated with it? Well so did we, so we thought we’d have a look into the history.
The Date - As
with lots of traditions at this time of the year, many have their roots in Pagan
and Norse customs. Long before the
arrival of Christianity, the inhabitants of Scotland were celebrating the
arrival of the New Year around the time of the winter solstice (the shortest
day)….we celebrate that on the 21st/22nd December here in
Scotland. Logically this is when we
should still be celebrating the New Year, but the subsequent arrival of the
Romans with their own calendars led to changes in the date. The date changed several times over 100’s of
years until the matter was finally settled when the Gregorian calendar was adopted
by Britain in 1752.
Throughout this time
Scotland also experienced the arrival of Christianity in its various forms as
well as the first celebrations of Christmas……which were subsequently banned in
the Middle Ages. Christmas and was not
made a public holiday until as recently as 1958! This meant that the biggest celebration of
the year in Scotland was New Year, or Hogmanay!
Customs….in
the order you should perform them!
Redding the House
– This is the act of cleaning out the house before the start of the New Year,
particularly the act of cleaning out the ashes from the hearth which could be
read to predict the year ahead. The ‘redding’
refers to the readying of house for the coming year. There may not be many hearths left now, but
many people do still do observe the tradition of cleaning the house so they can
start afresh in the New Year.
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| Hogmanay Bonfire in Biggar |
Bonfires and Torches
– Harking back to the influence the Vikings had over much of Scotland, the use
of fire is prevalent throughout many Hogmanay celebrations. It is thought that the fire would ward off
evil spirits or ‘burn the old year out’.
In places like Stonehaven and Biggar the New Year’s celebrations are
started with a torchlight procession which lights an enormous bonfire. Quite a spectacle if you are lucky enough to experience
it. Mostly though you can expect to see lots of fireworks....from the huge display in Edinburgh, to the more local, yet still impressive displays in places such as Grantown on Spey.
Auld Lang Syne – On the stroke of midnight up and down the country….indeed, all around the world, everyone will join in singing Auld Lang Syne and wishing one another Happy New Year. This poem was written by Scotlands most famous poet, Robert Burns and somehow has become the theme tune to New Years Eve parties everywhere.
First Footing –
Possibly the most famous of all the Scottish Hogmanay traditions is the ‘first
footing’. This is where a stranger is
welcomed after midnight, bearing gifts of coal or shortbread and is repaid with
a dram of whisky. The arrival of a tall
dark stranger on your doorstep was thought to bring especially good luck for
the following year. Apparently this was due to most Vikings being fair haired and therefore not a welcome knock on the door....but then the same theory decreed that the a knock from a strange woman, a redhead or someone with cross eyes or flat feet would also be bad luck! Nowadays it is more likely that the neighbours will be
calling. Whoever it is, they must not already be in the house on the stroke of midnight or live in the house.
An extra Bank Holiday
– Unlike the rest of the UK, Scotland enjoys an extra Bank Holiday on the 2nd
January…..possibly to recover from all the revelry of the days before! Until recent years everything was closed, but
gradually shops and supermarkets have started to open. So far, everything remains steadfastly closed
on the 1st of January.
You don’t have to be in Scotland to enjoy a great New Years
Eve…..although that would be the best way!
With good friends and all the best bits of our traditions you can have
an authentic Hogmanay of your very own.
Wherever you are in the world we hope you have a Happy New
Year and wish you the very best of health and happiness for 2016.
From all of us at Scotland’s Best B&Bs
Visit our website to find your perfect B&B for your 2016 Scottish holiday
