The Night Of Hogmanay

New Year’s Eve is a more important festival in Scotland then it is in England, and it even has a special name - ‘Hogmanay’*. Nowhere else in Britain is the arrival of the New Year celebrated so wholeheartedly as in Scotland.

There is a Scottish song that is sung all over the world at midnight on New Year’s Eve – ‘Auld Lang Syne’. It was written by Robert Burns, the famous Scottish poet, and you may find some of the traditional words a bit difficult to understand, but that’s the way it’s always sung – even by English people!

It was believed that the first person to visit one’s house on New Year’s Day could bring good or bad luck. Therefore, people tried to arrange for the person of their own choice to be standing outside their houses ready to be let in the moment midnight had come. Usually a dark-complexioned man was chosen, and never a woman, for she would bring bad luck. The first footer was required to carry three articles: a piece of coal to wish warmth, a piece of bread to wish food, and a silver coin to wish wealth. In some parts of northern England this pleasing custom is still observed. This interesting tradition called “First Footing”.

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*Hogmanay – ‘Хогманай’ (31 декабря), Новогодний сочельник в Шотландии

Boxing Day

December 26^th is called Boxing Day from the old custom when people gave small sums of money to workers, tradesmen and people who do services - milkmen, postmen, dustmen …etc. - which were collected into their Christmas boxes. So the name of December 26^th doesn’t come from the sport of boxing, though nowadays there’s a tradition to watch sports shows on television on this day. Boxing Day is an extra holiday after Christmas Day.

Traditionally Boxing Day Hunts is a day for foxhunting. The huntsmen and huntswomen ride horses. They use dogs (fox hounds) that follow the smell of the fox. But the tradition of the December 26^th hunt is changing. Now, some people want to stop Boxing Day Hunts (and other hunts, too) as for them it’s a cruel sport.

Saint Valentine’s Day

When all the fun of Christmas and New Year is over, the rest of January is dreary and cold. But before long the empty shops seem to come to life once again with displays of attractive and brightly coloured «I love you» Valentine cards.

On February 14^th it’s Saint Valentine’s Day in Britain. It is not a national holiday. Banks and offices do not close, but it is a happy little festival in honour of St. Valentine. It is lovers’ day celebrated in the entire world. This lovely day is widely celebrated among people of all ages by the exchanging of “valentines”. Some British newspapers have got a page for Valentine’s Day messages on February 14^th.

St. Valentine was a priest who lived in Rome and died for his faith in A.D. 170. His feast happens to fall on February 14th - the traditional day for lovers. Therefore St. Valentine became the patron saint of lovers.

The Valentine tradition has undergone a sort of revival in Britain. There seems to be no limit to the variety of cards on sale for this celebration. They are happy or sad, romantic or humorous, serious or ridiculous. You can pay anything from 10p to 10 pounds, depending on the depth of your love and the depth of your pocket!

Of all the Valentine cards on the market the humorous variety seem to be the most popular. But traditionally you must never write your name on it. Anonymity is, of course, part of the thrill of sending Valentine cards. The person receiving it must be left to wonder. At least it is good to know that in this troubled world love is still living and spreading a little happiness, especially in dreary February.