I am now come to your country,
Renewing the duty of Hogmanay;
Of its mysteries, what need I tell?
It began in the time of our ancestors.
___ Scots Gaelic song of Hogmanay (trans CM)
The festival of Hogmany - a word whose origins are lost - is celebrated in Scotland every New Year's Eve.
A festival that outshines Christmas even today. Hogomany is celebrated with vigor by every Scot. Rich food and strong drink are abundant; shining music and lively dancing are enjoyed. The custome of first-footing - of receiving with celebration the first guest across the threshold after the stroke of midnight - is still practiced. According to tradition, the first-footer should be a dark-haired person from outside the household who is able to bring good fortune to the house: healthy, young, and vigorous people are particularly welcomed. The first-footer brings a 'handsel' (or token of good fortune) to the household . This is usually fuel, food, or a bottle of whisky. The first-footer is then hospitably welcomed and given a gift, usually joining in the party that runs until the small hours of the morning.
"Welcome the new year over your threshold and see the old year out with some fancy footwork and good cheer!"
[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]
More Hogmanay information: http://www.scotlands-enchanting-kingdom.com/hogmanay-customs.html
Excerpts from the link above:
•The Pre-Hogmanay Preparations.
Cleaning the House - the 31st December was often a busy day, a day of preparing to see the Old Year out, and to bring in the New Year. Many businesses closed early to allow the workforce time to go home and clean their houses from top to bottom. This cleaning began in the days when everyone had open fires, and fireplaces in particular had to be cleaned. It was considered bad luck by some to go into the New Year with a dirty house. The tradition of cleaning the house for new year still exists today.
Getting rid of Debt – this was another thing that was seen as unlucky and most households would endeavour to get rid of all debt before midnight on 31st. It wasn’t good to go into the New Year with debt. It’s a pity this tradition has stopped as we now live in times when most people enter the New Year with the debt of over-spending at Christmas.
•Midnight
Having family and friends together and partying is one of the main Hogmanay customs. As soon as the clock strikes 12. bells are rung in every town and village throughout the land. Many places have street parties with the villagers for example all meeting in the village square to bring in the New Year together. These days of course fireworks are also set off, so it can be quite a spectacular sight, depending on where you are. So even if you don’t want to go outside, you can open your curtains, see the fireworks, hear the bells and the music.
Immediately after midnight it is traditional for everyone to stand in a circle, cross over their arms, hold hands with people on either side sing Robert Burns' "Auld Lang Syne". If you don’t know what the words mean – click here to see my attempt at a translation People from around the world sing this, although they often only know the chorus:
"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."
But of course the Scottish hospitality of welcoming family, friends and neighbours, also extended to strangers is still very much a custom today. Everyone is in a happy mood, with or without a ‘drink’ and the belief is very much that a line is drawn under the Old Year and the New one welcomed in on a happy note.
•First Footing
This is another one of those hogmanay customs which is still practiced today. It literally means the "first foot" to step into a house after midnight is still common in Scotland. This is still full of tradition and even superstition. In order to ensure good luck for the house, the ‘first foot’ over the door should be male, dark; and of course everyone ‘first footing’ should take symbolic gifts such coal, shortbread, salt, black bun and whisky. (Blonds & redheads, and especially females with this hair colouring first-footers were considered ‘bad luck’). These gifts meant the household would be safe and warm and have enough food for the year. These days, however, whisky and perhaps shortbread and the famous black bun are the most common gifts first-footers take. Of course most hosts would have plenty of food and drink in to offer to their guests.
When I was a youngster, we used to go ‘first footing’ around the parents of my friends, often not get home until the wee small hours. For others the party went on until the next day, or even the day after that!
•Torch and Bonfire Ceremonies
As I mentioned earlier most towns and villages have their own celebrations and there are often TV cameras in larger communities which interview the party-goers wishing others throughout the country a ‘Guid (good) New Year’. Obviously in places like the capital Edinburgh you will find not only the bells, but the whole street party is televised, has bands playing and there is also the fabulous and magical Firework display and torchlight procession.
Scotland comes to a standstill on January 1st and it’s worth noting that January 2nd is a also a holiday in Scotland. I think the theory is to allow folk time to recover from a week celebrations, and the hogmanay customs.
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