A Happy New Year!!

I want to wish all my bloggie friends ' A Guid New Year and lang may yer lum reek!" (translation = a good New Year and hope you have warmth for a long time) We had a very quiet time and were in our beds at 1.30 am. We stayed up to see the New year in and watched the celebrations on TV. On the stroke of midnight the big cannon (Mons Meg) at Edinburgh castle is fired and then the celebrations take off. There was a huge firework display, not only there but at most cities, and everybody wishes everybody else a "Happy New Year'. Inverness had to cancel the street celebration party, on the advice of the police, as it was snowing so badly. In Scotland, if you are celebrating at home, you can stay in like us, or go 'first footing'. Traditionally, a first footer took a bottle (whisky), something to eat (shortbread or cake) and a piece of coal. When they arrived at a friend's house, they would hand over the food and the coal, and everybody would have a drink from their bottle. In return, they would be given something to eat and drink. This meant that the house would never want for food, drink or warmth throughout the coming year. It was thought that, if the first footer had dark hair, the house would have extra luck. Fair-haired people were not so lucky, so the brunettes were always pushed in first.

Nowadays, most people do not have coal fires, and the old traditions are dying out. It is a shame.

Thankful Thoughts

Our house is lovely and warm, despite it being really cold outside. I have had a lovely turkey dinner, a nice glass of wine, and I will be having a big plate of trifle, a little later on, when I can manage it! I leave you with a picture of the turkey, almost ready to go into the oven. We cooked it last night, and I ate the bacon, just before New Year!

Till next time.

tich