SEASONAL GREETINGS 2008-2009

[Lesley Cox]

It is the traditional Scottish occupation of being the first visitors in the New Year, to one's friends and family. By which I mean that at midnight, we'll go visiting, taking the usual traditional Scottish beverage with us, and a slab of Christmas cake or sometimes (not this year) BLACK BUN, which sounds fearsome but is a delicious but rich and heavy fruitcake type mixture, with lots of alcohol and all encased in a rich pastry shell before baking.

So we'll be first footing, but so will many of our friends so it's a bit of a gamble who we'll find at home or whether they'll find us first. It usually ends in a party somewhere and a right royal hangover on New Year's Day. We plan to confine it to our street and surrounds this time (about 20 houses) so there'll be no driving involved.

[Maggi Young]

In Scotland, until quite recently ( even into the 1960s) there was no widespread tradition of celebrating Christmas as a public holiday.... lots  of folk worked it as a normal day. The Hogmanay, or New Year's Eve celebration, was the Scottish winter festival. "First footing" (that is, the "first foot" in the house after midnight) is still common in Scotland. To ensure good luck for the house, the first foot should be male, dark (believed to be a throwback to the Viking days when blond strangers arriving on your doorstep meant trouble) and should bring symbolic coal, shortbread, salt, black bun and whisky.
Nowadays, anyone bearing liquor  will do!! How standards slip!


 Opinions vary, but one derivation for Hogmanay is the Gaelic, oge maidne, new morning.

[Diane Clement]

the first foot should be male, dark ... and should bring symbolic coal, shortbread, salt, black bun and whisky.   

I didn't know about the shortbread, but I did think that sticks came into it?  Or maybe that was pre-coal days?

[Gerard Oud]

I think i will be the last one for today to wish all the best for all the forummembers, especially the Galanthusaddicts of course. I hope everyone remains healthy because that is the most important thing in life.

Have a good, we don't worry about the economy, 2009

kind regards,

Gerard Oud

[David Shaw]

Sorry Maggie but the Gaelic 'oge maidne' actualy translates into 'ogle a maiden'; at least in my mind it does.

[Paul T]

David,

And I am sure there are many who would just LOVE to build that into the celebrations as well.  So what is the problem? 

[mark smyth]

Happy New Year to those in Australia and New Zealand. 5 minutes to go

stolen from internet, sorry.

[mark smyth]

oops I should have googled first. Australia is +8,9 and 10 hours ahead.

Paul what happens if you live in the middle of a time zone?

[Paul T]

Mark,

We're actually currently 11 hours ahead on the East coast (Daylight Savings etc).  Lesley has already hit the New Year II think she's 3 hours ahead of us?).  The time zones are set to state borders, even though we bridge multiple zones.  The State borders are where things change, and they aren't neat hours.  South Australia is 1/2 hour behind us, not taking into account daylight savings.  And some states have daylight savings and others don't, so that makes it more difficult too.  We're a complicated country. 

For reference it is currently 11:26pm on the 31st here at the moment.

[mark smyth]

very confusing

[David Nicholson]

Here's wishing a very happy and peaceful New Year to all friends in New Zealand.

[Paul T]

Mark,

I live here and even I am not exactly sure of who is what time where. 

David,

As you say.... Happy New Year to the New Zealanders.  Less than 15 minutes until it arrives here too.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Happy nNew Year everybody down under !!! 

[David Nicholson]

Paul a very happy and peaceful New Year to you and yours and also to all other Oz friends, even if some of you are still, ever so slightly, in 2008.

[Paul T]

Thanks David.  Happy New Year everyone.  Hope you all have a great 2009!!!!!