The New Year is around the corner, whether we like it or not! The turning of one year to another always makes me a bit emotional – a time to remember those who are no longer with us, and maybe a time to look at what has happened in our individual lives in the past year.

Hogmanay

I have been lucky enough to spend New Year’s Eve in Scotland in the past, where Hogmanay is a traditional event. Scotland’s New Year's traditions distinguish it from others, and it is said that Edinburgh celebrates the best New Year's Eve ever. Despite the weather, the parties are incredible, the Scots are welcoming, and the fireworks displays have always been phenomenal. Adding to these factors, the tradition and history of New Year's Eve in Scotland is unique.

Where does Cromwell Fit into Hogmanay?

The holiday purportedly has roots in the Viking celebration of the Winter Solstice as well as Samhain, the Celtic Pagan celebration of the end of the harvest season. But in the 16th-century, Oliver Cromwell brought about the Scottish Reformation, and ordered Christmas to be banned – he believed that Christmas and its celebrations were a decadent indulgence unbefitting of a Puritan people. From 1643 Christmas celebrations were outlawed due to their excesses - drinking, dancing, over-eating, gift-giving, singing - which were in direct contradiction of the ideals of the Puritan strand of Protestant faith. Like most Puritans, he believed that Catholic influences tainted the Church of England, and that it must be removed.

Cromwell was hated - after having killed Charles I back in England, which made him a villain in the eyes of monarchists, he turned his greedy gaze to Ireland, then to Scotland, both teeming with the Catholics he despised, and he wanted to bring them all to heel. His army cut a bloody swathe, ruthlessly slaughtering soldiers and innocent civilians alike.

So New Year Celebrations Commenced

Celebrations in Scotland were subtly adjusted to make the focus of festivities fall in the following week, at the change of the year. Thus, the New Year celebration was born - unrelated to the Christian calendar, and so outside the views of the Puritan church – and became the winter festival instead. In this context, the celebration of the New Year became much more relevant and was celebrated over several days.

Nowadays, there are countless events and thousands of people who celebrate in the historic centre of Edinburgh, the highlight this year starting on the night of 29th December, where the city becomes the stage for the Torchlight Procession and the popular Edinburgh Street Party.

In Scotland, until the 2nd of January it is a national holiday. The arrival of the New Year is highly acclaimed and celebrated with passion and celebration, making it an ideal opportunity to bring together friends, family and even strangers to welcome in the following year.

What is ‘first footing’ and why was it important?

Did you know that coal was, and is, an important Scottish New Year tradition? 'First–footing' refers to the old Scottish custom of welcoming in the New Year - a dark-haired male is welcomed in the household as the first visitor to the house after midnight. Traditionally, he would arrive loaded with a coin, bread, salt, a lump of coal, and whisky - gifts representing all the things the New Year would hopefully bring - prosperity, food, flavour, warmth and good cheer.

Out with the old, bring in the new

New Year’s Eve always seems an appropriate time to shuck off the past, and look forward to what the coming year might bring. And the important question – New Year’s Resolutions. Do we remember them past the first few weeks of January? I suspect not – but it is enough that we have reflected enough to consider changing something that bothers us. Maybe start a journal - 365 pages in a blank book, 365 chances to write what you accomplish as it happens. Or download an app to photographically record one second a day for a year of events as they happen – you making a movie of every day of your life for a year!

Author

Marilyn writes regularly for The Portugal News, and has lived in the Algarve for some years. A dog-lover, she has lived in Ireland, UK, Bermuda and the Isle of Man. 

Marilyn Sheridan