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Original poster

New year traditions.

33 replies

recklessruby · 31/12/2018 21:39

I am Scottish but live in England (dc born and brought up here). We have several traditions passed down through the family.
I have cleaned the whole house for instance and don't wish anyone a happy New year until midnight (when I want to first foot and sing auld Lang syne).
Dd wants to open and look at the 2019 calendar. I thought that was bad luck so aibu to say NO and have a little panic?
I know I am to millenials but can't shake the old hogmanay traditions?

OP posts:
SolemnlySwear2010 · 31/12/2018 21:47

I am Scottish too - have cleaned the entire house, made sure there is no washing etc in baskets and just before the bells i open the living room windows wide so the 'old year' can escape and the 'new year' can come in Grin

Original poster
recklessruby · 31/12/2018 22:09

I m hoping my tall dark and handsome ds stops coughing so he can go outside and first foot us!

OP posts:
Reaa · 31/12/2018 22:13

I'm tall (ish) and dark haired do I have to be male or can I wait and see who comes through my door first after midnight?

concretesieve · 31/12/2018 22:13

Yanbu. Always good to stick to the old traditions Xmas Smile

Original poster
recklessruby · 31/12/2018 22:19

They are supposed to be male but my cousin (a boy but short at the time) and me (tall not dark) used to do it at my parents house.
I really have a tall (6foot 3) dark (much darker than me) and handsome (I m his mum so obviously) man to do it but he s a bit ill.

OP posts:
Merename · 31/12/2018 22:24

Oops I am Scottish and have definitely not cleaned my whole house, and have done a bit of new year wishing - although I noticed my friends said happy Hogmanay instead, is that the tradition?! I used to love first footing when we were wee, but now we hardly know our neighbours and I can’t stay up past 11 since I had kids Blush

Reaa · 31/12/2018 22:26

Older DC is due home at some point during the small hours and he is tall and dark.

Wonder if they, would think I'm loosing the plot, if I ask him to knock at the door and bring in coal, bread and salt when I open it.

cc4490 · 31/12/2018 22:29

I think it is a Scottish thing, my English DH always refers to my new year frenzy - the whole house is scrubbed from top to bottom, the fridge is bursting just incase someone stops by. I've done all the washing and ironing, beds changed and my front door and steps have been scrubbed and polished. There's a bottle waiting outside the front door and DH has been sent to the cash machine to make sure he has cash in his wallet and a bottle in his hand when he first foots - I put him out like a cat just after the bells every year.
His family think I'm nuts when it comes to new year but it's how I've always seen it done. I like the tradition. Smile

BumDisease · 31/12/2018 22:30

I'm going to my mum and dad's but inevitably she'll start greetin as she gets all maudlin at Hogmanay and I'll wish I stayed at home.

Every.
Bloody.
Year.

Original poster
recklessruby · 31/12/2018 22:32

My dc have been brought up bringing in the plate. They know not to cross this threshold empty handed on hogmanay.
Yanbu to want ds to bring in the coal etc.
I miss my home town Sad. All my neighbours are in bed early.

OP posts:
pusheenthecat · 31/12/2018 22:32

House has been cleaned. Fire is on and will burn through the night so that we will have a prosperous new year.
I've always said "happy new year when it comes" right up until the bells and then it's "Happy New Year"

sailorcherries · 31/12/2018 22:36

We have no coal to first foot but I'll be sending DP out, there will be no coal but definitely a drink, salt and bread present.

sailorcherries · 31/12/2018 22:37

House has also been scrubbed, my house smelt like a bottle of bleach had exploded.

Original poster
recklessruby · 31/12/2018 22:39

We have coins on the plate to bring in for a prosperous New year. My mum used to put them on a shelf over the front door.
Coal so we're warm all year (even though we have central heating Grin) bread so we don't go hungry, cake for luxury and a glass of whisky so it's not a dry house (ds loves this tradition).

OP posts:
Original poster
recklessruby · 31/12/2018 22:39

Oh and salt but don't know why we have that?

OP posts:
MynameisJune · 31/12/2018 22:44

Salt so your life has flavour isn’t it?

Original poster
recklessruby · 31/12/2018 22:48

Thanks. I forgot about salt Smile. Dd is working tonight and just messaged me to say she misses new year at home "the way you do it, Mum".

OP posts:
Reaa · 31/12/2018 22:50

I googled it

Reaa · 31/12/2018 22:53

Trying to keep the fire burning till midnight but have already run out of wood and the coal is going down.

Will be opening windows and back doors to let the new year chase out the old.

DH already asleep and snoring

Original poster
recklessruby · 31/12/2018 23:02

I m going home to my parents next year. I do find it odd in England but my OH was English and so dc brought up here

OP posts:
MulberryPeony · 31/12/2018 23:44

My nana always used to get a ‘volunteer’ to do this but there is no Scottish connection down that line of the family?

takemebacktoLondon2012 · 31/12/2018 23:49

Husband is Scottish but we live in England - hes cleaned the house and made Steak Pie for tomorrow- we also have a tin of shortbread to hand - hes been known to panic if we dont have shortbread in the house at New Year

thebaronetofcockburn · 31/12/2018 23:53

A lentil salad to eat tomorrow, it's supposed to be lucky to eat lentils.

Original poster
recklessruby · 01/01/2019 00:04

Even more homesick now Xmas Sad

OP posts:
WhatOnEarthDoIDoNow · 01/01/2019 00:34

My family are mixed english, scottish and irish. So we have a mix of traditions and some of them we ignore entirely. When I have kids I want to do more to honour the older traditions because I think it's sad they've been ignored and forgotten.

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