December is without doubt connected to Christmas and the solstice and the druids and Stonehenge and much more. We are probably all well-versed in this, so let us look at something else. Scotland: It has to be different – and it is! Hogmanay! This is a celebration of the last day of the year. Scotland has not always celebrated Christmas (regarded as too papist) but Hogmanay is the one. It goes back to Norse and Gaelic times (and probably more). Nobody knows the origins and the way of celebrating is very much local. The carrying element is to celebrate the ‘first-foot’. The first visitor who crosses the doorstep after midnight 31 December. The visitor will typically bring gifts for the household. Gifts in Scotland is a bag of salt or some coal or a ‘black bun’ which is some sort of cake. All good practical things for any household. The visitor will then be seated and given gifts, typically food. The ‘first-foot’ is supposed to bring good luck for the year and that is why (oh my Wiki says so) ‘first-foot’ is preferred to be tall, dark-haired men!
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