We call it New Year's Eve. The people of Scotland call it HOGMANAY and they have a long and rich tradition with this holiday.
Many people have their ideas of where the word "Hogmanay" may have derived from. The Scandanavians use "Hoggo-nott" to describe the feast that proceeded Yule. The Flemish used "hoog min dag" meaning "great love day." Also, the Anglo-Saxons used Haleg monath, or Holy month. "Oge maidne" is Gaelic meaning new morning. But the most likely source is from the French. "Homme est né" or "man is born."
Did you know that for 400 years, Christmas was not celebrated and virtually banned in Scotland from the 17th century to the 1950's? This came from the Protestant Reformation when the Kirk believed Christmas to be a Catholic feast. Many Scots worked on Christmas, therefore they would gather their family and friends together at New Year's Eve and exchange gifts.
One tradition is to clean house before midnight including the ashes from the fireplace.
A big part of the Hogmanay celebration is to welcome friends and family with a warm welcome and a 'kiss' to wish everyone a Giude New Year. The belief is to clear out old feelings and bring in the New Year with a clean slate. Don't forget about singing "Auld Lang Syne" by Robert Burns, who is Scottish.
"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."
Check out tomorrow to find out what happens on January 1st.!
Showing posts with label gatherings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gatherings. Show all posts
Monday, October 18, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
A week of holidays and gatherings!
As we all know, Halloween is fast approaching. This got me to thinking about holidays. So I am going to set off a week of holidays and gatherings here at my blog.
The first one I would like to write about is called Braemar Gathering. This takes place on the first Saturday in September. Braemar is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. About 58 miles west of Aberdeen in the Highlands, sitting near the River Dee. The Gaelic, Bràigh Mhàrr, literally means upper Marr.
The origin of this major Highland Games is said to go back to the 11th century when King Malcom the third, "Canmore", came to the village with his first Queen and held a gathering at the original settlement of Doldencha. He gave a prize to the winner of a race to the top of Craig Choinnich.
In 1746, the Act of Proscription ended all clan gatherings. It was repealled in 1782, and all enthusiasm for such events returned. In 1826, the Braemar Highland Society was created and the first modern day games took place in 1832. On September 14, 1844, Queen Victoria attended the gathering. In 1866, Royal was added to Braemar Highland Society. In 1906, the Duke of Fife presented 12 acres of Mar Estate to the Society in which The Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park, the current home of the gathering, was created. Since Queen Victoria's time, the reigning Monarch has been the Patron of the Braemar Royal Highland Society.
The first one I would like to write about is called Braemar Gathering. This takes place on the first Saturday in September. Braemar is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. About 58 miles west of Aberdeen in the Highlands, sitting near the River Dee. The Gaelic, Bràigh Mhàrr, literally means upper Marr.
The origin of this major Highland Games is said to go back to the 11th century when King Malcom the third, "Canmore", came to the village with his first Queen and held a gathering at the original settlement of Doldencha. He gave a prize to the winner of a race to the top of Craig Choinnich.
In 1746, the Act of Proscription ended all clan gatherings. It was repealled in 1782, and all enthusiasm for such events returned. In 1826, the Braemar Highland Society was created and the first modern day games took place in 1832. On September 14, 1844, Queen Victoria attended the gathering. In 1866, Royal was added to Braemar Highland Society. In 1906, the Duke of Fife presented 12 acres of Mar Estate to the Society in which The Princess Royal and Duke of Fife Memorial Park, the current home of the gathering, was created. Since Queen Victoria's time, the reigning Monarch has been the Patron of the Braemar Royal Highland Society.
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