Happy Hogmanay

“What’s Hogmanay”? I asked in reply to an email sent to me at Folk Alley.

“Gasp! :-),” wrote Brian in Edinburgh, Scotland. Brian enlightened me:

“Hogmanay is the huge Scottish Celebration of New Year’s eve – 31st December. Traditionally a time of “First Footing” (Visiting friends & Neighbours) in time for “The Bells” – (Midnight) taking with you various items – to ensure good fortune for the house in the coming year.

More recently though a lot of that is dying down & the tendency is for people to gather in various locations & celebrate publicly – Think New York & Times Square.
The Guys tend to dress up in Kilts & there will be a fair amount of bagpipers around – usually much drink (especially whisky) is consumed & general merriment ensues. On the stroke of midnight everybody sings “Auld Lang Syne” & greets total strangers as if they were long lost friends. Edinburgh does it big & has a huge street party in the town centre (Around 250,000 people – many from all over the world) with bands & fireworks from all the hills surrounding the town).”

How will you celebrate the New Year? Whatever you do, however you celebrate, all the best to you in 2005. Happy New Year!