It's great to have so many of you joining in the New Year Celebrations. We even had Terra Nova guy as our first foot. Those who already have googled Hogmanay will know what that means. Traditionally Hogmanay (name for New Year's Eve) in Scotland was the main holiday in Scotland. In fact Christmas as a festival was banned in Scotland following the reformation. It was not until 1958 that Christmas day became a public holiday in Scotland. That's a very short simplified history. My grandparents were very into Hogmanay and New Year celebrations. They used to meet up with family in one of their houses. The night would begin with a meal with steak pie being the main course. They would then all take a turn of singing a song or reciting a poem. There were a lot of superstitions and customs. My gran always kept to the house being cleaned for the New Year and of paying back any money owed. Although you don't really hear bells now, midnight is still referred to as 'the bells'. Alan remembers as a child there would be the sound of the shipyard hooters at midnight. Things have definitely changed in recent times and it made me a bit sad to see so many of Hannah's friends posting on Facebook and Instagram pictures of them at 'New Year's Eve'. I definitely felt I had taken on the mantle of the older generation as I ranted "It's Hogmanay". At least my grannie would be proud! In that vein I'll leave you with a verse from a New Year song which to me sums up the Scots' sentimentality.
A guid new year to ane an a
An mony may ye see,
An during a the years to come,
O happy may ye be.
An may ye ne'er hae cause to mourn,
To sigh or shed a tear;
To ane an a baith great an sma
A hearty guid New year.