Scotland’s 6 New Years Traditions
Learn 6 Traditions and Customs of Hogmanay and bringing in the New Year in Scotland
Happy New Year from Scotland
Hogmanay has arrived and as all you wonderful visitors to Scotland know, us Scots enjoy a good party. New Years eve, the 31st of December is what we call Hogmanay, probably the most legendary bringing in of the New Year in the world.
All over Scotland, from Elgin to Edinburgh, from Skye to John O Groats, Scots will be raising a glass to bring in the New Year in style, casting out he old and bringing in the New.
So learn about 6 New Year Traditions and customs that the People of Scotland do when they “bring in the bells”.
As a local, small-group tour company we’ve led thousands of tours all over these Bonnie lands and so if you’re joining us in Scotland at this great time of year consider taking a tour with us!
We’ll show you the time of your life and give you a journey you’ll never forget. See our tours here.
John Stevenson
C.E.O. &
Scotland Tour Guide
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1 - “Redding the House” for the New Year
Traditional Scottish House needing a good “redding the house” session for the New year
I remember being a kid growing up and looking forward to being allowed to stay up late for the bells, as a 10 year old, the thought of staying up past midnight felt amazing and I always looked forward to it. Though to be given permission, me and my brothers and sister would have to get the house ready. Imagine a spring clean, but even more tedious.
Why would anyone need clean door frames or a tidy cupboard? It’s not as if the party was in the cupboard and when was the last time someone complimented you on a shiny piece of wood around your door? Though, being Scottish, the “redding of the house” was as much a tradition as drinking whisky and eating Haggis on Burns night.
According to traditions, this was a task that must be done, especially cleaning the old ashes from the fire. The whole purpose of this, was make sure you start the year afresh, having a clean home, being organised and being ready to tackle the year ahead.
So as much as I still don’t throw parties in my cupboards, I make sure they’re tidy and ready, just in case
2 - New Years Fire
Fireballs festival in Stonehaven near Aberdeen, celebrated every Hogmanay for over 100 years
If you’ve visited Scotland, you’ll know from some of our stories, that the Vikings played a big part in shaping Scotland. Some of their traditions and customs influenced the people of Scotland and are still practiced today. The Vikings loved fire and starting long before their pre-Christian times, they used fire to ward of evil spirits and “burn the old year out”
In the town of Stonehaven, just south of Aberdeen, they have one of the most impressive fire Hogmanay celebrations which has been enjoyed for over 100 years. The Fireball parade has a piper led procession of brave men and woman swinging balls of fire above their heads.
This wonderful Hogmanay event is not for the faint hearted and is done as a cleansing ritual to burn off any bad spirits left from the previous year so that the New year can start full of positivity.
3 - Singing, Auld Lang Syne to “bring in the Bells”
Singing Auld Lang Syne to welcome in the New Year at a Scottish Hogmanay Party
“Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and Auld Lang Syne?”
What a wonderful Song! A Scottish tradition that has managed to spread across the world, the singing of Auld Lang Syne has become a staple for people from as far afield as New Zealand, Australia, USA and Canada.
Written by Scotland’s most famous poet, Robert Burns, Auld Lang Syne, which he based on an old folk song, is a fitting song to bring in the New Year as its all about reflection, looking back and being grateful for the year just past, as you also look to the year ahead.
So you’ll also be asking, why do we now sing this Scottish Classic across the world on New Years? That’s likely due to the fact that many Scots emigrated across the world, mainly due to the Highland clearances and Scots looking to prosper elsewhere. When they did, they took this wonderful song with them. Couple this with the fact that in 1929, a Canadian of Italian descent, Guy Lombardo and his band, performed Auld Lang Syne to millions of listeners across the USA on National Radio, and from that point on, Americans loved the song and it became part of their tradition to sing it at New Years.
So get your best or worst singing voice on and a have singsong of Auld Lang Syne during your New Years party.
-
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And days of auld lang syne?For auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet For days of auld lang syneWe twa hae run about the braes
And pu'd the gowans fine
But we've wander'd mony a weary fit
Sin days of auld lang syneAnd we twa hae paid
l'd I' the burn
Frae morning sun 'til dine
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
Sin days of auld lang syneFor auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet For days of auld lang syneAnd surely ye'll be your pint-stowp
And surely I'll be mine
And we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet
For auld lang syneAnd there's a hand, my trusty fiere
And gie's a hand o' thine
And we'll tak a right gude-willy waught
For auld lang syneFor auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet For auld lang syneFor auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet
For auld lang syne -
Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot, and days of long ago?
CHORUS:
For days of long ago, my dear, for days of long ago, we'll take a cup of kindness yet,for days of long ago.
And surely you’ll buy your pint cup! And surely I’ll buy mine! And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet, for days of long ago.
CHORUS
We two have run about the slopes, and picked the daisies fine;
But we’ve wandered many a weary foot, since days of long ago.CHORUS
We two have paddled in the stream, from morning sun till dine;
But seas between us broad have roared since days of long ago.CHORUS
And there’s a hand my trusty friend!
And give me a hand o’ thine! And we’ll take a right good-will draught,
4 - First Footing on Hogmanay
Sharing a glass of Scotch Whisky
I always loved trying to be the first footer after the New Years bells, there was always a great feeling of entering a friends house with a bottle of whisky to share and hopefully bringing a smile to someone’s face as you’re the first person to enter their house on the New Year day.
The custom of first footing goes back 100’s of years, tradition says you should always bring a gift as the first footer, it used to be gifts like coal to represent warmth for the year ahead, black bun cake, Scottish Shortbread biscuit, salt or whisky to represent health, prosperity and a full belly for the following year. In the city of Dundee, it used to be a New Years tradition to bring a preserved herring fish, dressed in a paper bonnet and skirt.
Once you enter, it’s also customary for the first footer to be offered a drink, usually whisky, though, now a days, it could be anything from beer, cider or vodka, it’s the thought that counts. Then, you’d toast the year ahead with the word, Slainte! - Good Health
5 - Traditional New years Dinner in Scotland
Traditional New Years meal of Steak Pie enjoyed by Scottish people every January 1st
So, when I’m touring Scotland with visitors, they must be thinking, “John, is it New Years Day again"?” We visit many wonderful restaurants around the country and my favourite meal is also the meal we Scots traditionally have for the first meal of the New Year!
It’s a meal that I still can’t believe hasn’t become a staple around the world, as it’s genuinely that good!
Steak Pie, mash potatoes and vegetables! Just Wow! What more needs to be said, there’s chunks of steak meat in a delicious gravy, flaky puff pastry, buttery mash potatoes or chunky Chips and wholesome veg! If you’ve never tried it, I highly recommend you start your New year with a Steak Pie meal.
Quite when the people of Scotland started eating Steak Pie for New Year day dinner, isn’t entirely known, though one of the most popular theories is that it’s due to the fact that people were far too busy to make a big meal on New Years day as they still had to work, and going to the butcher for a Steak pie was easy to do. It wasn’t until 1871, that the people of Scotland were given the 1st of January off as a holiday day, though the tradition of eating Steak pie as your New Years meal was firmly ingrained in the culture of Scotland by then. I know I couldn’t start my New year without it.
6 - Tradition of an Extra Holiday Day
Enjoying an extra days holiday after a Hogmanay party to bring in the New year
As I mentioned, the Scots really love to celebrate Hogmanay and the coming of the New Year, so to stop everyone going to work with a pounding headache after far too much whisky, the people of Scotland were granted an additional days holiday on the 2nd of January.
I tell you, this really is a blessing, as I know that with the Hogmanay celebrations I’ll be enjoying with my family and friends, the 2nd of January will be needed.
So Happy New Year to everyone from all over the world.
However you spend your Hogmanay and the bringing in of the New Year, myself and everyone at Experience Scotland’s Wild wish you and your loved ones a Happy and prosperous 2023 full of love, laughter and travel
or as we would say in Scotland “lang may yer lum reek” (Long may your Chimney Smoke)
Leave a comment Below and share with us what traditions you have for New year or if you ‘ve ever enjoyed a Hogmanay Party in Scotland
