Happy Hogmanay 2019!

Only one nation can celebrate the New Year, or Hogmanay with such passion – the Scots! It is the BIGGEST party of the year and WeeBox has everything you need to ‘First Foot’ like a real Scot …… wherever you are in the world!   

Celebrate, reminisce and Fàilte 2020! Hogmanay is steeped in tradition – celebrated like nowhere else on earth.  

Its origins are viking – Norse invaders celebrated the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, with wild parties in late December.

So, here’s our WeeBox guide to celebrating like a true Scot!

1. Share Hogmanay with your nearest and dearest: it’s all about being with the ones you love and having a party to end all parties. 
2. ‘Redding’ the House:  Have a good clean out to ready the house for the New Year!  In days gone by, sweeping out the fireplace was very important and there was a skill in reading the ashes, the way some people read tea leaves.  
3. First footing:  it is considered a great honour to be the ‘first foot’! This is where the first person to enter the house after midnight – ideally a tall, dark man – brings gifts such as a black bun, whisky and coal. First footing is supposed to affect the household’s fortunes for the coming year, so make sure you have a tall, dark pal to hand!  It’s also a great excuse to get round to your neighbours and Fàilte 2020!
4. Singing ‘Auld Lang Syne’: accompanied by the linking of arms and singing with great gusto!  Be prepared, even for the second verse (which most people realise they don’t know!) with the words below:

Auld Lang Syne

First verse: 
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind? 
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, 
and auld lang syne? 

Chorus: 
For auld lang syne, my jo, 
for auld lang syne, 
we’ll tak’ a cup o’ kindness yet, 
for auld lang syne. 

Second verse: 
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. 

Chorus 

Third verse: 
We twa hae run about the braes, 
and pou’d the gowans fine; 
But we’ve wander’d mony a weary fit, 
sin’ auld lang syne. 

Chorus 

Fourth verse: 
We twa hae paidl’d in the burn, 
frae morning sun till dine; 
But seas between us braid hae roar’d 
sin’ auld lang syne. 

Chorus 

Fifth verse: 
And there’s a hand, 
my trusty fiere! 
and gie’s a hand o’ thine! 
And we’ll tak’ a right gude-willie waught, 
for auld lang syne.

And, finally eat, drink and be merry this Hogmanay … lang may yer lum reek!

Slàinte mhath WeeBox Clan and Fàilte 2020!