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- Hogmanay - New Year's Eve, 31 December - "Hogmanay" may be from the Norse "Hoggunott" or night of slaughter when animals
were killed for a midwinter feast. Or it could be from "Huh-me-naay" or kiss me now when even strangers embraced. Or it may come from the French "Hoguinane" sung by
children on "Cake Day". Hogmanay is still a more important festival in Scotland than Christmas. Historians believe we inherited it from Vikings. Celebrated around the world
now. All of Scotland celebrates in the build up to "the bells" chiming midnight and singing "Auld Lang Syne".
One tradition is cleaning the house (known as "redding") on December 31 (including taking out the ashes from the fire in the days when coal fires were common). And Scotland is the only part
of the UK that has a statutory holiday on January 2nd.
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First Footing
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- First footing - 1st January
Visiting friends and relatives immediately after New Year's Eve, in the early hours of the morning of January 1st. First footing after the bells have rung in the New Year is still common - the
"first foot" in the house after midnight should be male, dark, and handsome and should carry symbolic coal, shortbread, salt, black bun ( a spiced cake) and, of course, whisky.
In Kirkwall, Orkney, there is a New Year Ba' Game
held in the streets of the town which can last most of January 1st, between the Uppies and the Doonies, or more correctly, "Up-the-Gates" and "Doon-the-Gates" from Old Norse "gata"
(path or road). |
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- Glasgow's Hogmanay - in Glascow, Scotland; the all night party in the City Centre on December 31st
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regional
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