CELEBRATING Hogmanay

RICH WITH CELTIC TRADITIONS, HOGMANAY IS ALIVE AND WELL IN SCOTLAND

Christmas and New Year in Scotland sees the country come alive with beautiful lights, fireworks, outdoor Christmas markets and traditions steeped in a rich Celtic history.

Hogmanay, Scotland’s New Year’s Eve, is a legendary changing of year celebration, with epic fireworks displays, massive street parties, concerts and torchlight processions. The Edinburgh festival it is said to be the largest outdoor celebration in the world, lasting 3 days.

The annual Torchlight Procession in Edinburgh is a nod to Pagan times with thousands of souls marching the city, creating a river of fire with blazing torches. In Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, locals construct huge fireballs of up to two feet that they swing in unison when midnight arrives, and then launch into the harbour.

When the clock chimes 12am, the iconic sound of Auld Lang Syne can be heard echoing across Scotland. This poem by Scottish Bard Robert Burns is sung in a circle big or small. During the last verse, people link arms and sing like their lives depend on it!

“First-footing” is perhaps the most widely practiced social ritual and is a deeply embedded tradition of Hogmanay. The moment the clock strikes midnight, lads and lassies across Scotland head for the homes of loved ones, friends and families, bearing various gifts. The first person to cross the threshold in the New Year is said to bring the fortune to that household for the coming year. The most desirable first-foot visitors in Scotland are said to be tall, dark men who come bearing gifts! Each with its own specific meaning, the gifts are a token of good luck and vary from whisky, coal for warmth, salt for health, food and silver coins. Communities in Dundee once brought a decorated herring!

Scots also have an annual tradition known as the Loony Dook, taking place on New Year’s Day in South Queensferry, just outside of Edinburgh. In aid of the RNLI, thousands of people gather and form part of a musician led parade that ends in the freezing cold waters of the Firth of Forth. Most fancy dress clad “dookers” have a quick splash, although some are braver than others and stay in the water for longer - daring fellow revellers to be the hardiest soul in the pack.

The Highland custom of ‘saining’ or blessing the house and livestock is still practiced by a select few today. This entails drinking and spreading “magic water” (water from a dead and living ford or river that is consistently crossed by both the dead and alive) across all contents of the household. Juniper branches are burnt across the home followed by fresh New Year air, and then a hearty breakfast is served.

With fantastic options for eating and drinking across the country, Scots and visitors take great advantage of honouring Christmas and New Year’s traditions knowing they will be well fed and watered before and after the many activities taking place across the festive season. Scotland is a wonderful place to live and work in at this time of year.