HOGMANAY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 December 1938, Page 3

HOGMANAY

SCOTTISH NEW YEAR. In the north of Scotland, Christmas passes almost unnoticed. The Scottish festive day is New Year’s Day, and their great night is “Auld Year’s Niehl” or "Hogmanay Nicht,” as it is called. On the last day of the year nearly all the children, from the age of fourteen down to toddlers, go round the town singing at people's doors. They are rewarded by a few coppers and many other things such as candy, apples, oranges, and very often a large slice of currant loaf, baked specially at this time of the year, and which contains peel and mixed spices. The children do not sing Christmas carols —they have their own song, which has been handed down from generation to generation, and no one seems to have ever heard its origon. One verse goes like this: —

Here begins a guid New Year, Awa’ by soos an’ toons o’ (That part is sung four times.) Rise up, guid wife, an’ shack yer

feathers, Dinna think that we’re beggars— We’re only bairnies come tae play Rise up an’ gees oor Hogmanay.

In the evening a few of the grownups get together and have a good time in a general way. The opportunity of making up any differences is taken at this time of peace on earth. A big Yule log is always burning in the hearth, and a “duff" boiling in the pot at the side of the fire. The younger people may be away sledging, snowball fighting, or skating in the moonlight. At a minute to twelve the floor is swept and the dust brushed right outside the house. This is to sweep away all the troubles of last year and start the New Year afresh. After shaking hands all round, first-footing commences. You must not enter a house with empty hands. A dark person is preferred to a fair. A jollification is held throughout the night, and the New Year is welcomed in in that way.