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Scotland's
New Year's Eve Celebrations or Hogmanay
 Only
one nation in the world can celebrate the New Year or Hogmanay with
such revelry and passion – the Scots! But what are the actual
origins of Hogmanay, and why should a tall dark stranger be a
welcome visitor after midnight?
It is
believed 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, and fully intended to celebrate 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.
It may
surprise many people to note that Christmas was not celebrated as a
festival and virtually banned in Scotland for around 400 years, from
the end of the 17th century to the 1950s. The reason for this dates
back to the years of Protestant Reformation, when the straight-laced
Kirk proclaimed Christmas as a Popish or Catholic feast, and as such
needed banning.
And so
it was, right up until the 1950s that many Scots worked over
Christmas and celebrated 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.
There
are several traditions and superstitions that should be taken care
of before midnight on the 31st
December:
these include cleaning the house and taking out the ashes from the
fire, there is also the requirement to clear all your debts before
"the bells" sound midnight,
the
underlying message being to clear out the remains of the old year,
have a clean break and welcome in a young, New Year on a happy note.
Immediately after midnight it is traditional to sing Robert Burns'
"Auld Lang Syne". Burns published his version of this popular little
ditty in 1788, although the tune was in print over 80 years before
this.
"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."
An
integral part of the Hogmanay party, which is continued with equal
enthusiasm today, is to welcome friends and strangers with warm
hospitality and of course lots of enforced kissing for all.
"First
footing" (or the "first foot" in the house after midnight) is still
common across Scotland. To ensure good luck for the house the first
foot should be a dark male, and he should bring with him symbolic
pieces of coal, shortbread, salt, black bun and a wee dram of
whisky. The dark male bit is believed to be a throwback to the
Viking days, when a big blonde stranger arriving on your door step
with a big axe meant big trouble, and probably not a very happy New
Year!
The
firework displays and torchlight processions now enjoyed throughout
many cities in Scotland are reminders of the ancient pagan parties
from those Viking days of long ago.
The
traditional New Year ceremony would involve people dressing up in
the hides of cattle and running around the village
whilst
being hit by sticks. The festivities would also include the lighting
of bonfires and tossing torches. Animal hide wrapped around sticks
and ignited produced a smoke that was believed to be very effective
in warding off evil spirits:
this smoking stick was also known as a Hogmanay.
Many
of these customs continue today, especially in the older communities
of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. On the Isle of Lewis, in
the Outer Hebrides, the young men and boys form themselves into
opposing bands; the leader of each wears a sheep skin, while another
member carries a sack. The bands move through the village from house
to house reciting a Gaelic rhyme. The boys are given bannocks (fruit
buns) for their sack before moving on to the next house.
One of
the most spectacular fire ceremonies takes place in Stonehaven,
south of Aberdeen on the north east coast. Giant fireballs are swung
around on long metal poles each requiring many men to carry them as
they are paraded up and down the High Street. Again the origin is
believed to be linked to the Winter Solstice with the swinging
fireballs signifying the power of the sun, purifying the world by
consuming evil spirits.
For
visitors to Scotland it is worth remembering that January 2nd is
also a national holiday in Scotland,
this
extra day being barely enough time to recover from a week of intense
revelry and merry-making. All of which helps to form part of
Scotland's cultural legacy of ancient customs and traditions that
surround the pagan festival of Hogmanay.
© HUK
Useful Links
"The Scottish
Hogmanay Handbook: The Complete Guide to Celebrating New Year in
True Scottish Style" Gordon
Fraser
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