Great Britain Postage Stamp

Hogmanay is the Scots word for the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner. Its official date is the 31st of December. However this is normally only the start of a celebration which lasts through the night until the morning of the 1st or, in many cases, the 2nd of January.

There are many customs, both national and local, associated with Hogmanay. The most widespread national custom is the practice of first-footing which starts immediately after midnight. This involves being the first person to cross the threshold of a friend or neighbour and often involves the giving of symbolic gifts such as coal or shortbread, intended to bring different kinds of luck to the householder. This may go on throughout the early hours of the morning and well into the next day.

Immediately after midnight it is traditional to sing Robert Burns’ “For Auld Lang Syne”. Burns claimed it was based on an earlier fragment and certainly the tune was in print over 80 years before he published his version in 1788.

“Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot and auld lang syne
For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne,
We’ll take a cup o kindness yet, for auld lang syne.”

And it is worth remembering that January 2nd is a holiday in Scotland as well as the first day of the year – to give us all time to recover from a week of merry-making and celebration, all part of Scotland’s fascinating cultural legacy of ancient customs and traditions surrounding the pagan festival of Hogmanay.

Source: Scotlandia

Greeting Stamps - France

All the very best from Scotiana’s Team

May the bells of Happiness ring merrily for you at Christmas.

Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr! ( Merry Christmas!  in Gaelic)

Festive Greetings

From everyone at Scotiana, we wish you and yours a happy holiday and a healthy and prosperous new year. We are honored to have you as loyal readers and truly look forward to blogging along with you for years to come.

Tombe la neige Source: Le portail anti-crise

Joyeux Noël à tous !!!

Santa Claus will very soon be at our doorstep or should I say up on the roof, ready to drop precious little presents into our chimney, ‘wee surprises’ as Iain and Margaret would say . Why not read or re-read some good Scottish Christmas stories while waiting for him?

Storytelling has always been very popular in Scotland and indeed the country has given birth to some of the greatest storytellers: Sir Walter Scott, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Robert Louis Stevenson first come to my mind but there are so many others…

George Mackay Brown being my favourite storyteller, I’ve chosen him to illustrate my purpose. He wrote a number of Christmas stories, some of them being very thrilling ghost stories which I’m particularly fond of. Most of these stories were first published in the newspapers in very attractive Christmas special issues. Some of them have been collected in Winter Tales. The two book covers I’ve inserted below are quite expressive of the contents of this marvellous book which I intend to re-read during Christmas holidays:

Winter Tales George Mackay Brown Flamingo 1996

Light and darkness are common themes in these tales, which all have a fireside ambience.

It is easy to imagine Mackay Brown… enthralling all before him as the peat crackles and another bottle of malt is broached.

(Sunday Express)

It was in winter that the islanders gathered round the hearth fire to listen to the stories (…)

Going over tales I’ve written during the last decade or so, I was not too surprised to see that many of them are calendar tales, that yield their best treasure in midwinter when the barns are full.

The mystery of light out of darkness has been with us since the builders of Maeshowe five thousand years ago. The Celtic missionaries gave the mystery breadth and depth.

I like to think I am part of that tradition.

(George Mackay Brown - Winter Tales)

I am a raving fan of gorgeous book cover designs as those of Winter Tales,  for example, and I always like to anticipate my reading on catching a glance at the contents of a book even before buying it. Below is the contents of Winter Tales :

•  Foreword
• The Paraffin Lamp (first published in Hydro Electric Magazine – 1975)
• Lieutenant Bligh and Two Midshipmen
• The Laird’s Son (1989 in The Scotsman )
• The Children’s Feast (1989 in The Tablet)
  
• A Crusader’s Christmas
• The Lost Sheep (1990 in The Tablet)
  
• A Boy’s Calendar (1990 in The Scotsman )
• The Woodcarver (1991 in The Scotsman )
• Three Old Men (1991 in The Tablet)
  
• Ikey (1992  in The Scotsman)
• A Nativity Tale (1992 in The Tablet)
  
• Dancey
• Shell Story (1993 in Xanadu, USA)
  
• The Architect (1993 in  The Scotsman)
• St Christopher (1993 in  The Tablet)
  
• The Sons of Upland Farm (1994 in the Daily Telegraph)
  
• The Road to Emmaus
• The Fight in the Plough and Ox

Winter Tales George Mackay Brown Polygon 2006

Winter Tales is a superb collection of tender and compassionate tales, focusing on light and darkness, winter and its festivals,

by one of the greatest story-tellers of the twentieth century.

Through a variety of characters from shipwrecked Scandinavians to an Edinburgh gentleman,

George Mackay Brown looks at the impact of new ways of thinking on the traditional way of life of Orkney.

(From the back cover of  Winter Tales  Polygon 2006 )

Christmas Crime Stories The Folio Society London 2004

In my Folio Edition of Christmas Crime Stories I’ve found The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle (L’escarboucle bleue, in French), written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. This story was first published in Strand Magazine in January 1892.

Below is the summary I’ve found in Wikipedia:

“Watson visits his friend Holmes at Christmas time and finds him contemplating a battered old hat, brought to him by the commissionaire Peterson after it and a Christmas goose had been dropped by a man in a scuffle with some street ruffians. Peterson takes the goose home to eat it, but comes back later with a carbuncle. His wife has found it in the bird’s crop (throat). Holmes makes some interesting deductions concerning the owner of the hat from simple observations of its condition, conclusions amply confirmed when an advertisement for the owner produces the man himself: Henry Baker.

Holmes cannot resist such an intriguing mystery, and he and Watson set out across the city to determine exactly how the jewel, stolen from the Countess of Morcar during her stay at a hotel, wound up in a goose’s crop. The man who dropped the goose, Mr. Henry Baker, clearly has no knowledge of the crime, but he gives Holmes valuable information, eventually leading him to the conclusive stage of his investigation, at Covent Garden. There, a salesman named Breckinridge gets angry with Holmes, complaining about all the people who have pestered him about geese sold recently to the landlord of the Alpha Inn. Clearly, someone else knows that the carbuncle was in a goose and is looking for the bird.
James Ryder imploring Holmes’ mercy

Holmes expects that he will have to visit the goose supplier in Brixton, but it will not be necessary: The other “pesterer” that the salesman mentioned shows up right then, a cringing little man named James Ryder whom Holmes prevails upon to tell the whole sordid story, by first mentioning that Ryder is probably looking for a goose with a black bar on its tail, a remarkable bird that “[laid] an egg after it was dead”. Of course, Holmes has already deduced most of it.

Ryder, believing he was being pursued for the theft, fed the carbuncle to a goose being bred by his sister Maggie Oakshott. He was to have that goose as a gift, but lost track of which one it was.

Thus, when Ryder cut open the goose and found no gem, he went back to his sister, who had provided the Alpha Inn geese, and asked if there was more than one goose that had a black bar on its tail. She said there were two, but he was too late: she had sold them all to Breckinridge at Covent Garden. Breckinridge already sold the geese to the Alpha Inn, and the other goose with a black bar on its tail found its way to Henry Baker as his Christmas fowl. Ryder and his accomplice — the countess’s maid, Catherine Cusack — contrived to disguise the crime to frame John Horner, a plumber who worked at the same hotel as Ryder and had previously been imprisoned for robbery.

Holmes, however, does not take the standard action against the man, it being Christmas, and concluding that arresting the clearly anguished Ryder will only make him into a more hardened criminal later. Ryder flees to the continent and Horner will be freed as the case against him will collapse without Ryder’s perjured testimony. Holmes remarks that he is not retained by the police to remedy their deficiencies.”

You can read the whole story on Gutenberg website=>  http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1661/1661-h/1661-h.htm#7

Christmas Crime Stories The Folio Society London 2004 Michael Foreman Illustration for Arthur Conan Doyle's The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle

It is, I think, much more likely that Henry Baker is an absolutely innocent man,

who had no idea that the bird which he was carrying was of considerably more value than if it were made of solid gold.

(Arthur Conan Doyle The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle)

I would like to end this Christmas post on one of the most remarkable stories I’ve ever heard about.  It’s a mystery story but also a true story, the kind of story that can only happen in Scotland . It took place in Edinburgh, the Unesco City of Literature, the very place which gave birth to Sir Conan Doyle, Sir Walter Scott, Robert Luis Stevenson…

Edinburgh mystery sculpture 1 Source Edinburgh City of Literature website

Just try to imagine: since the month of March 2011 where the first sculpture had been dropped on the doorstep of The Scottish Poetry Library,  seven beautiful and very elaborate book sculptures have been left all across the City of Literature by an anonymous artist, all wearing the same tag with the words  “in support of libraries, books, words, ideas.”

I invite you to read the whole story on the Edinburgh City of Literature website. George Mackay Brown would certainly have found this story ‘marvellous’ and written about it in the Orcadian .

Ian Rankin and Edinburgh mystery sculpture Source Edinburgh City of Literature website

‘Ian Rankin, ex-board member of the Edinburgh UNESCO City of Literature Trust, drops in to marvel at the sculpture that was left for them.’

Edinburgh mystery sculpture 2 Source Edinburgh City of Literature website

Isn’t that an extraordinary story to enjoy at Christmas, an opportunity to rejoice at the end of a year which has given us so many occasions to be sad and last but not least, in our never ending quest, an invitation to discover more about Scotland and its amazing capital, Edinburgh, the UNESCO City of Literature…

Happy Christmas to everybody!

A bientôt.

Mairiuna

Romania 2003 Easter Rabbit Stamp

Mairiuna and Jean-Claude are traveling today towards the beautiful French Touraine’s region to visit family, and I would like to wish, on their behalf and mine, to all our loyal readers, a very Happy Easter!

The celebration of Easter is a worldwide celebration and involves many customs and traditions.

It’s a time of joy, relaxation and celebration and also a very important day in the Church of Scotland.

In many parts of the country huge fires used to be lit on Easter Saturday, a tradition that dates back to the pagan era when spring festivals were held at this time.

That would explain why many postage stamps commemorating Easter, shows rabbits, hot crossed buns, eggs, jelly beans, while others depicts the religious aspect of the Christian celebration:  the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Savior.

Slovakia - Hungary - Easter stamps

Source: www.golowesstamps.com

Planning to make authentic Scottish food recipes for your Easter Sunday menu? If so, you are kindly invited to share your ideas of recipes in the comments area below. I would love to know what plates will be served at your table! Here in the province of Quebec, it’s the traditional Turkey supper.   

If your traditions and customs still includes a grace, below is a Scottish Grace that is well-known and written by Scotland’s famous Poet, Robert Burns  (a.k.a. Rabbie Burns )

 Selkirk Grace
by Robert Burns

Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it;
But we hae meat, and we can eat,
And sae the Lord be thankit.

And to give you ideas for your Easter Party Table Theme, watch this short video. Very creative!

Have a lovely time and do keep in mind that there’s no guilt to over eating this week-end. 

Talk soon,

Janice

Fireworks display over Edinburgh Castle - Photo by Ian Ritherford - Source: The Scotsman 2010

While Susan Boyle sings I Dreamed a Dream on the annual music show produced by Japanese broadcaster NHK, The Red and White Song Battle program, and millions of other people welcoming the New Year in each their own way, we are happy to extend to all our Best wishes for a Healthy & Prosperous 2010!

May there be Joy, Love & Peace in your soul throughout the year.

Mairiuna, Jean-Claude and myself will do our very best to make each of your visits to our blog a very joyful and fun experience.

Cheers!

Talk soon

Janice

PS: On this video we take a glance along the Royal Mile at the Torchlight Parade which is the first official event of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations.

Notice that they are thousands of people walking with burning  torches! Impressive…

Mackenzie House, Toronto, Canada

The Mackenzie House, in downtown Toronto, commemorates the city’s Scottish heritage by hosting a party to celebrate the Hogmanay traditions.

To the sound of traditional Scottish music and tasting of some of Scotland’s best traditional recipes, the museum, for the event, will be lit by gas and candlelight.

The Mackenzie House was built in 1857. It is a Georgian-style residence that was given to William Lyon Mackenzie, grandfather of former Canadian Prime Minister, William Lyon Mackenzie King, by his followers.

Leader of the colonial emancipation movement in Upper Canada, Mackenzie had come from Scotland in 1820. He became Toronto’s first mayor.

William Lyon Mackenzie - Mayor of Toronto - 1834 and Leader in the 1837 Upper Canada Rebellion

There is now a museum inside the Mackenzie House, with costumed guides re-enacting the daily life of Toronto’s middle-class households in the 1860′s.

Probably due to the fact that Christmas was banned in Scotland for a long period of time, the Scots have made New Year’s Eve a very special celebration.

Does the word “Hogmanay” derive from Gaelic oge maidne which means “new morning”, from French “hoguinané“, or maybe from Anglo-Saxon “Haleg Monath” the “Holy Month”? Many theories exists…

What about “Hug me now” ?

The Auld Alliance between Scotland and France, first recorded in the year 1295, had an influence on the language and customs in Scotland, so the French origin seems to be  the most probable one.

HOGMANAY CUSTOMS & TRADITIONS

The Redding

On the day of Hogmanay, the cleaning of the house would take a large part of the day’s activities in order that the New Year be greeted into a neat house, otherwise, it is considered as ill luck to welcome in the New Year upon an uncleaned house.

Inglenooks are swept and polished. Some people would even read the ashes of the last fire of the year, to see what the New Year would hold.

Rowan Tree

The act of cleaning the house in its entirety was called the redding,  getting ready for the New Year.

To bring luck and ward off evil spirits, pieces of a rowan tree would be placed above a door. Inside the house, pieces of mistletoe would be hung, not for kissing under like at Christmas, but to prevent illness to the householders.

Pieces of holly would also be placed inside the house to keep away mischievous fairies along with pieces of hazel and yew for their magical powers and to protect the house and inhabitants. After the burning of juniper throughout the house, all the doors would be opened to let in fresh air. Now the house is ready to bring in the New Year.

The Bells

At the first stroke of the chimes at New Year, a moment known as “The Bells!”, people would sing Robert Burns’ s Auld Lang Syne, whilst linking arms.

Scottish Hogmanay Celebrations - Edinburgh

Then, after the bells had rung, people would go to friends and family, or “first footing” as it is known in Scotland, carrying a bottle of whisky to offer, a new year dram. In older days when people could only afford one bottle of spirit’s a year, this bottle would take a place of choice on the mantelpiece or by the fireplace and only opened at the stroke of midnight.

First Footing

The “first foot” of the New Year is the first person to step through your front door. Traditionally, if it was a tall, handsome, black or dark haired man, carrying a lump of coal, it would bring luck to the household. The coal being the symbol that the house would have enough money for fuel all year round.

If it was a red haired person. or a woman to be first to step into the house, it was considered to bring bad luck! Some household made arrangements to choose a first footer prior to Hogmanay Day.

Hogmanay Toasts

Hogmanay New Year Toasts

A traditional Scottish New Year toast:

Lang may yer lum reek!

“Long may your chimney smoke and originated when people had coal fires and if the chimney was smoking it meant that you could afford coal and keep warm”

or this one:

A guid New Year to ane an’ a’ and mony may ye see”

which translates to English as: A good New Year to one and all, and many may you see.

Amazon has a great choice of books on the subject! Just click on the arrows of the widget to see more titles.

Talk soon,

Janice

May the bells of Happiness ring merrily for you at Christmas

and throughout the coming year!

Scotiana's team: Janice, Mairiuna and Jean-Claude

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continuous support.

We don’t have gifts under a big Christmas tree, but would like to share this video about Christmas for you to enjoy!

Nollaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr! ( Merry Christmas!  in Gaelic

Hilary McNally goes in search of Christmas past and discovers how times have changed in Scotland over the years.

As Christmas lights twinkle in every window and shops overflow with frantic festive shoppers it may seem hard to believe that Christmas is a relatively new addition to the Scottish calendar.

But as recently as the 1960s it was just another day for many people as Scotland continued a tradition dating from the 16th century of officially ignoring Christmas Day.

Workers were often required to turn up at the office as normal and any festivities had to wait until New Year’s Day, the main holiday of the year.

A look at marriage records from the 1940s and 50s show a surprising number of weddings on Hogmanay simply because the following day was the only day off a working couple could expect.

“It sounds paradoxical but the reason Christmas wasn’t celebrated in Scotland was a religious one,” explains Dr Alan MacDonald, a lecturer in Scottish History at the University of Dundee.

“There was a fundamentalist view of Christianity which came in with the Reformation in 1560 and that was if something wasn’t in the Bible then it should not be celebrated.

“The only holy day that was kept was Sunday. Because Christmas day did not fall on a Sunday except by chance it was not celebrated. Easter was the same.

“In the early part of the 20th century it wasn’t even a school holiday. And there was still a postal delivery on Christmas Day, unless it was a Sunday, until the 1960s.”

Individuals did, of course, continue to celebrate Christmas in their own way with their own families but despite December 25 being officially declared a bank holiday as early as 1871 it took almost another century to begin to rival the New Year holiday.

Christmas Carnival Ferris Wheel - Princes Street - Edinburgh (Photo by emozart on Photobucket)

“The celebration of Christmas was a gradual thing,” says Dr MacDonald. “The change came about due to a softening of religious views although there are still churches in Scotland that don’t take any notice of Christmas.

“We have gradually fallen in line with the rest of the UK. The impact of the media is another consideration. It is interesting because it seems Scotland did not get its Christmas from England. One example is the use of the name Santa Claus rather than the English Father Christmas but whether that influence is from Europe or the USA is hard to say.”

The European influence also plays a part in explaining the original adoption of January 1st as a major holiday.

“New Year’s Day in Scotland in terms of calendar was March 25 until 1600,” explains Dr MacDonald.

“When January 1st was adopted in 1600 it brought Scotland into line with the rest of Europe but not with England which didn’t change until the 18th century.

“This was quite typical of the time. Scotland had been at war with England for so long that it tended to avoid doing what England was doing. In fact at the time that the New Year changed, the proclamation made some reference to all “other civilized nations” having the same date thereby implying that England was not a civilized nation.”

Although it was considered more sensible to start the New Year at the beginning of the month rather than in the middle the new date was also more religiously acceptable to Reformation Scotland than March 25 with its Catholic associations.

“March 25 was lady day,” says Dr MacDonald. “It is nine months before the 25th of December so it was believed to be the day Christ was conceived and therefore the start of his life. It was the theoretical date of conception.”

January 1 also provided a festival very close in time to Christmas and the winter solstice and offered an alternative celebration.

“40 years after Scotland dropped Christmas it changed the New Year and that is why the New Year was celebrated so much. It provided a focus and pulled people away from celebrating Christmas and Yule.”

Now though it would seem that Scotland is making up for lost time and its four Christmasless centuries by putting December 25 very firmly back on the holiday agenda.

Of course this doesn’t mean any weakening of support for New Year. Why have one wonderful holiday when you can have two!

Source: http://www.santasearch.org   The Largest Elf-Edited Christmas Resource on the Internet.

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