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!
- 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.
- ‘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.
- 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!
- 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!
