Hogmanay ... Och Aye!!!

I hope you all had a good New Year's eve with families and friends waiting there until the clock struck midnight to say farewell to the old year and welcoming 2022 with Hope, Faith and maybe Charity. 

We also had other people in our midnight gathering apart from Hope, Faith and Charity but they said they wished to remain nameless for now; in case their families found out.

First Footing is often practiced in Scotland. It is a Scottish tradition that just after midnight on New Year’s Eve the first person to enter a house would bring good fortune for the coming year. 

The "first footer" is often a stranger, (neighbour or friend), who would bring with him some gifts like a coin which represents financial stability, some bread for food throughout the year, salt to represent flavour, a piece coal for warmth and a drink, usually whisky, for good cheer.

Sometimes a member of the household, usually a male, would leave the house just before midnight, and then knock at the door and enter after midnight bearing the said gifts. 

Many years ago grandpa decided he would be the first footer in our house to bring us all good fortune in the coming year. It was very cold outside and still snowing, so we tried to discourage him; but he insisted that he would do it if it is the last thing he'd ever do !!!

So to humour him, and because he was beginning to look rather upset that anyone would doubt his physical ability at this late stage in life, we allowed him to "first-foot" and we agreed secretly to keep an eye on him lest he froze in the cold.

Just before midnight he took with him a whole bottle of Twelve Years old single malt whisky, and the other so-called essentials, and went out the front door waiting for the clock to strike twelve.

 

Unfortunately, just at that time, some relatives phoned from Australia to wish us a good year. I took the call. Someone in the house started playing the bagpipes rather loudly and they all started singing Auld Lang Syne amongst other Scottish songs.

Sadly, amongst all this jollity, and drinking, and lack of sobriety we all forgot about first-footing and grandpa. 

 

We found him the next morning lying in the pond with an empty bottle of whisky in his hand. He asked us why the carrots we left in the pond for Rudolph the Reindeer tasted rather fishy!