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Wisdom BearsJust to Wish you all a very Good New Year in 2006. Some Scottish information for those of you who might be interested. Hugs Rita xxx
Here is some information for you about the New Year events.. ha ha..
now on the first footing thing in England it is lump of coal for warmth.. salt to keep food in the house- money so you never go broke in the new year.. dram of whisky to toast
dave did first footing here last new years eve..
In Scotland, all the Scots' love of dancing, music, mischievous merry-making and, of course, whisky drinking, come together in the biggest party of the year - Hogmanay (New Year's Eve to the rest of us).
Consider the tremendous influence of Scottish traditions on our own New Year's Eve celebrations - what song do we all sing? Auld Lang Syne, naturally. What list do we all make on January 1? Our New Year's resolutions, a tradition invented by the Scots (yes, really). Why are guests told to BYOB? Because the Scots have a custom called "first footing" which consists of a handsome young man (we wish) being the first to cross our threshold as soon as the "bells ring" at midnight, bearing gifts of bread or meat (food for the new year), coal (warmth for the new year), and, what else? Whisky - drink for the new year and by far the most important and consistently unforgotten contribution.
History of Hogmanay in Scotland
How did it come about that the Scots celebrate New Year's so much more heartily than Christmas? During the middle ages, Scotland celebrated a merry Christmas just as cheerfully, piously and faithfully as the other Celtic countries - a wonderful combination of celebrating the "Christ's Mass" in the Catholic tradition combined with Celtic customs and traditions that are familiar to us through celebrations in England and Ireland.
For instance, the Scots decorated their homes with mistletoe and juniper, created and performed comic skits (mumming), prepared and ate special foods, and carefully selected and prepared a Yule log (a tradition the Scots still maintain and Christmas itself is still often called "Yule" in Scotland).
Unfortunately, in the late 1500s, the Scottish Reformation took a strong stand against pagan (eg, Catholic) celebrations and abolished Christmas. They abolished it for four hundred years - no kidding. Christmas was not a day off work for most Scots until almost 1960. This is not to say the Scots didn't celebrate Christmas; it was just a private, family holiday without much ado.
But this went very much against Scots nature. The Scots like to party. They like to have fun. So in the early 1600s, they changed the date of New Year's from March 25 to January 1 and began celebrating Hogmanay.
As the original midwinter celebrations were based on the fire rituals of pagan times (the Yule log is an example), and as many Scots remained Catholic, especially in the Highlands, the resourceful Scots simply transferred the bulk of their Christmas celebrations to New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
Throughout Scotland today, Hogmanay is a two-day holiday (no work on January 1 or 2) filled with all kinds of festivals, parties, bonfires and, now, fireworks. Edinburgh's Hogmanay Festival lasts for days and includes one of the most spectacular fireworks displays in the world. In many parts of Scotland, a midnight mass is still celebrated on New Year's Eve.
And just like us, they sing Auld Lang Syne and often wake up with a major hangover the next morning.
Auld Lang Syne
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And days of auld lang syne?
Chorus
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne
We'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet
For auld lang syne.
We twa hae run about the braes
And pu'd the gowans fine
But we've wander'd mony a weary foot
Sin' auld lang syne.
We twa hae paidl't in the burn
Frae morning sun till dine
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin' auld lang syne.
And surely ye'll be your pint stoup
And surely I'll be mine
And we'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet
For auld lang syne.
Estelles canal bears and Tod TeddiesHappy hogmanay Rita may your first footer be tall and handsome and bring you good fortune, to you and all at TT
and of course from me 
Have a Happy New Year everyone...I'm off up the pub for a sherry.....or two....or three..................
bears by beesley TMYou have a good New Year too sweet Rita Darlin!!! I really miss you here! We don't often see posts from you and you are so very much missed when your not here!!
Many Hugs Louise
Wisdom BearsHi louise,
I must admit to not writing very often , but I really am still here. Hope you have a much better New year too. Tell garnet to have a dram on me to-night. Hugs Rita xxxxx
Country BearsI hope you all have a wonderful New Year, and wish you everything you wish for yourselves 
Here's to 2006.......
:dance: :dance:
Patsy Lake BearsHappy New Year to all
Posts: 8,574Rita, what wonderful history you shared with us. Thank you my sweet.
I loved it.
Happy New Year to you too
dilu
Pandy Potter BearsI'm not much for the New Year thing 
. I just like to move forward and just get on with it, too much looking back, but all I can say is thanks to you all for letting me see a way forward with my bears. Yep thats the way to go. Cheers me dears!!! Into the New Year we all go, together!!!
Incredibly interesting, Rita. Thanks so much for posting. I'm going to share it with my husband.
New Year's has always been a nothing, zero, kinda depressing holiday for me. No particular reason for that, other than I haven't established any traditions surrounding it.
I'm hoping to change that someday, but I don't quite know how.
The idea of rushing off to a pub for a sherry sounds delightful and warm, and the tradition of festivals and fireworks and handsome men entering my home bearing gifts equally so.
We Americans tend to either go out and act like idiots and get drunk and kiss people at the stroke of midnight, or sit home and watch that ridiculous show where Dick Clark (used to) count down the new year and we lemmings sit, mesmerized, watching some gigantic, silly ball drop slowly down a pole. Who thought that up, anyway? What's fun about that? I guess if you're in Times Square, it might be. That is, if you don't get trampled to death. Laughing here...
Anyway, your pub crawling, tradition-based stories have given me some hope and inspiration. Maybe I'll crawl a few pubs myself, tonight. Sounds... yummy. Different. Good.
Happy New Year to all!
Posts: 3,540:bday: :bday: Lang may your Lum Reek Rita!!! :hug: Have a great New Year!!! :bday: :bday:
Happy new year to auld aquantance and new TEDDY TALK aquantances.
I miss the new years I spent in Edinburgh.We used to be out all night and first footed everyone we knew and didn't know.There was always a drunken uncle singing a granny sleeping and a huge pan of soup on the stove at every house.We would hug and sing with complete strangers and there was such a warm friendly atmosphere.I remember kissing at least a hundred strangers up at the Tron.
It is all too commercial now.You need a ticket to even go on Princes street.It is all geared to the tourists now and very few locals participate.Sad really.I have many happy memories though.
Tonight I have been at a friends for a meal and I am now being a sad old fart and staying in watching Bleak house.
My daughter is now the one out.She is in the local town of Dunbar at a street party hopefully having fun.I look forward to hearing all about it in the morning.
I wish you all the best for 2006.
Happy new year!!!!
Diane xxxx
Raccoon Creek BearsShelli- Over here in New Jersey - and in Pa. where we lived when we were first married- everyone goes outside and bangs pots and pans together. I have no idea why but it was sort of fun and ushered in the New Year in a festive way!
Past Time BearsHello, All. It's 11:30pm on New Year's Eve at my house and I REALLY don't want to go into another year. It's been like this for the last several years . . . I just HATE giving up another year of my life! There is sooooo little of it left. But on a more positive note. Hubby and I just got back from our 'celebration'. We met our daughter at one of the area malls - had a nice meal, then saw "Brokeback Mountain". My, what an intense story - the acting is incredible! Our tradition of about 5 years has been to stop on the way home and get Krispy Kreme donuts and eat them while waiting for the new year to arrive. They were delicious. Thanks to all of you that have shared your New Year's Eve stories - I love reading about how others spend their holidays. A very successful, exciting, and healthy 2006 to my Teddy Talk family! :hug: :hug: :hug:
Mountain Dreamer BearsHappy New Year to you too Rita. Thank you for sharing the wonderful glimpse into Scottish tradition and history I thoroughly enjoyed it!
hugs,
Dear Rita,
Thank you for sharing your Scottish events. I have been watching Sky TV and seeing all the " happenings" in Edinburgh. Also for the words to Auld Lang Syne, it is a tune that always brings a tear to my eye, funny how a special song, can always evoke such memories for one.
I hope your head is not hurting too much this morning.
Lynette
Jare Hares & BearsI just sat at the computer typing away. I am also trying to get things ready for Valentine's Days, I have a shoppe that want things NOW! Other than that I was at work last night until about 10:30. They asked me if I wanted to leave, it was painfully slow last night. Saturdays are the days that my sister and I can ride to work together. So I told them if they would let Jessie leave then I would go. And sure enough they did so we went home.
We can only sell alcohol until 10:00pm, and it is always funny when people come in after 10 and try to buy beer. I just want to laugh in their faces, they all know that we can only sell until 10. But they act all upset and get mad.
:bday: :bday: HAPPY NEW YEAR!! :bday: :bday:
Rita, thanks for sharing all that. It's really interesting. I know some of my relatives came from England and Scotland a long time ago.
Happy New Year!!! 
