|
Post by victor55 on Dec 31, 2011 11:31:40 GMT
|
|
|
Post by penny on Dec 31, 2011 11:42:20 GMT
Happy New Year to you and your family too Vic.
Happy New Year Everyone. XXX
|
|
|
Post by thetomahawkkid1 on Dec 31, 2011 15:44:16 GMT
yo ho ho t.k., Mo's and the tribe would like to wish ALL s.a.h.b.sters a happy new year.......and awrabest fur 2012 ;D
|
|
|
Post by Catherine on Dec 31, 2011 16:29:06 GMT
Happy Hogmanay: Celebrating the Scottish New Year Long denied the right to celebrate Christmas in Scotland, the Scots created their own New Year's celebration festival, called Hogmanay. In 1647 Oliver Cromwell banned celebration of Christmas throughout the United Kingdom. The ban was lifted 15 years later, except in Scotland where celebration of Christmas was a punishable offense and the ban remained until the 1950's. Many Scots had to work on Christmas day so New Years became the official winter solstice celebration. In preparation for the new year, the house is thoroughly cleaned, including the chimney and removing the ashes from the fireplace. The ashes of the last fire are read, much like the reading of tea leaves, to predict the future. One also should clear all debts before the stroke of midnight. Many Scots still burn juniper, allowing the smoke to waft through the house to chase away bad spirits. The windows are then opened to clear the air & cast out the spirits. No one is allowed to enter the home before the Bells strike midnight. After the bells, the man of the house opens the back door to let the old year out, and opens the front door to let in the new year. At midnight, Auld Lang Syne is sung, and friends and strangers alike celebrate with a kiss. "First Footing" is still common in Scotland. To ensure good luck, the first foot entering the house after midnight should be a tall, dark man (harkening back to the days of short, blonde Viking strangers who were surely up to no good). Women, especially red haired women, are unlucky first footers, and so are those who arrive bearing no gift. This bad luck can be overcome by asking this first footer to throw salt on an open fire or place a piece of burning straw up the chimney. Other unlucky first footers are doctors, ministers, grave diggers, those who are flat footed and, interestingly, those whose eyebrows meet in the middle. This tall, dark first footer should bring with him coal or peat, bread, money and whiskey to symbolize warmth, plenty, prosperity and celebration for the host's household. In sparser times, a single bottle of whiskey may be all that's bought all year, and it is set on the mantel to only be opened at midnight on New Years Eve. In some areas, boys go house to house and the leader of the group walks clockwise around the fire and recites a Galic rhyme. The boys are rewarded with fruit buns before moving on to the next house to work their magic at hearthside. Their greeting goes like this: Rise up, guid wife, an' shake your feathers, Dinna think that we are beggars: We are bairns come out to play, Get up and gie's our Hogmanay! Street celebrations include lighting of bonfires and rolling burning tar barrels down the hill, the tossing of torches and in some villages burning boats, especially Viking style ships. Traditionally, Scots have a work holiday on January 2 (and perhaps 3rd) to recover from Hogamanay celebrations. A popular Hogmanay toast: Lang may yer lum reek! (which means long may your chimney smoke, because a smoking chimney meant your could afford coal to keep warm). Happy Hogmanay, one and all - and lang may yer lum reek.
|
|
|
Post by victor55 on Dec 31, 2011 18:56:56 GMT
An education to be sure..
Well then Happy Hogmanay!!
|
|
|
Post by C.Cat on Dec 31, 2011 19:56:56 GMT
Happy new year everyone!
|
|
|
Post by weepete on Dec 31, 2011 21:35:58 GMT
Happy New Year to all you wonderful friends out there
|
|
|
Post by Mrs Foster on Dec 31, 2011 22:57:47 GMT
Happy New Year one and all, hope 2012 is the best you've ever had, Big Hoggy Hugs frae ra scum in Scumbernauld ;D
|
|
|
Post by Catherine on Jan 1, 2012 11:29:08 GMT
Happy New Year!!
|
|
|
Post by penny on Jan 1, 2012 17:26:33 GMT
Hope everyone had good celebrations last night and the hangovers are cured by now.
Happy, happy 2012 to you all.
|
|
|
Post by solidbodylovesongs on Jan 2, 2012 5:30:00 GMT
Thank you Victor55! A Happy New Year to you and to everyone here on the SAHB Forum!
|
|