[kj] kj] OT: 2006

[Pat]

On 1/1/06, Rob's Arse <joker at z6.com> wrote:
> Fuck all point to all of it.
>  I fucking hate new year.
>
>  It makes me feel physically sick. Seriously. Something happens to me and i
> go into a depression.
>  I think that it's because people are all grinning and wishing Happy New
> Year through gritted teeth with false smiles. People do not really give a
> shit, so why pretend?
>
>  Grumble gumble grumble
>

While i can see your point, i googled and found this

The Origins of Hogmanay

A guid New Year to ane an` a` and mony may ye see!
While New Year's Eve is celebrated around the world, the Scots have a
long rich heritage associated with this event - and have their own
name for it, Hogmanay.

There are many theories about the derivation of the word "Hogmanay".
The Scandinavian word for the feast preceding Yule was "Hoggo-nott"
while the Flemish words (many have come into Scots) "hoog min dag"
means "great love day". Hogmanay could also be traced back to the
Anglo-Saxon, Haleg monath, Holy Month, or the Gaelic, oge maidne, new
morning. But the most likely source seems to be the French. "Homme est
né" or "Man is born" while in France the last day of the year when
gifts were exchanged was "aguillaneuf" while in Normandy presents
given at that time were "hoguignetes". Take your pick!

In Scotland a similar practice to that in Normandy was recorded,
rather disapprovingly, by the Church.

"It is ordinary among some Plebians in the South of Scotland, to go
about from door to door upon New Year`s Eve, crying Hagmane."
Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence, 1693.

Hogmanay Traditional Celebrations
Historians believe that we inherited the celebration from the Vikings
who, coming from even further north than ourselves, paid even more
attention to the passing of the shortest day. In Shetland, where the
Viking influence was strongest, New Year is called Yules, from the
Scandinavian word.

It may not be widely known but Christmas was not celebrated as a
festival and virtually banned in Scotland for around 400 years, from
the end of the 17th century to the 1950s. The reason for this has its
roots in the Protestant Reformation when the Kirk portrayed Christmas
as a Popish or Catholic feast and therefore had to be banned. Many
Scots had to work over Christmas and their winter solstice holiday was
therefore at New Year when family and friends gathered for a party and
exchange presents, especially for the children, which came to be
called hogmanays.

There are traditions before midnight such as cleaning the house on
31st December (including taking out the ashes from the fire in the
days when coal fires were common). There is also the superstition to
clear all your debts before "the bells" at midnight.

Immediately after midnight it is traditional to sing Robert Burns'
"For Auld Lang Syne". Burns claimed it was based on an earlier
fragment and certainly the tune was in print over 80 years before he
published his version in 1788.

"Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot and auld lang syne
For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne,
We'll take a cup o kindness yet, for auld lang syne."

An integral part of the Hogmanay partying, which continues very much
today, is to welcome friends and strangers, with warm hospitality and
of course a kiss to wish everyone a Guid New Year. The underlying
belief is to clear out the vestiges of the old year, have a clean
break and welcome in a young, New Year on a happy note.

"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. These days, however, whisky and perhaps shortbread are
the only items still prevalent (and available).

"Handselling" was the custom of gift giving on the first Monday of the
New Year but this has died out.

Torch and Bonfire Ceremonies
The magical Firework display and torchlight procession in Edinburgh -
and throughout many cities in Scotland - is reminiscent of the ancient
custom at Scottish Hogmanay pagan parties hundreds of years ago.

The traditional New Year ceremony of yesteryear would involve people
dressing up in the hides of cattle and running around the village
being hit by sticks. The festivities would also include the lighting
of bonfires, rolling blazing tar barrels down the hill and tossing
torches. Animal hide was also wrapped around sticks and ignited which
produced a smoke that was believed to be very effective to ward off
evil spirits. The smoking stick was also known as a Hogmanay.

Some of these customs do continue, especially in the small, older
communities in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland where tradition,
along with language and dialect are kept alive and well. On the Isle
of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides, the young boys form themselves into
opposing bands, the leader of each wears a sheep skin, while a member
carries a sack. The bands move through the village from house to house
reciting a Gaelic rhyme. On being invited inside, the leader walks
clockwise around the fire, while everyone hits the skin with sticks.
The boys would be given some bannocks - fruit buns - for their sack
before moving on to the next house.

One of the most spectacular Fire ceremonies takes place in Stonehaven,
just south of Aberdeen on the North East coast. Giant fireballs,
weighing up to 20 pounds are lit and swung around on five feet long
metal poles, requiring 60 men to carry them as they march up and down
the High Street. The origin of the pre-Christian custom is believed to
be linked to the Winter Solstice of late December with the fireballs
signifying the power of the sun, to purify the world by consuming evil
spirits.

And it is worth remembering that January 2nd is a holiday in Scotland
as well as the first day of the year - to give us all time to recover
from a week of merry-making and celebration, all part of Scotland's
fascinating cultural legacy of ancient customs and traditions
surrounding the pagan festival of Hogmanay.


--
Pat
www.amag.org.uk