Scottish Christmas Traditions (& Merry Christmas!)

[Woodsman]

[B]

Firstfooters. In Scotland, it was, and still is, the custom for a stranger to enter the house after midnight on New Year's Eve. There were taboos about the luck such a stranger would bring, especially in the days of hospitality to traveling strangers. A fair-haired visitor was considered bad luck in most areas, partly due to fighting between the dark Scots and the fair Norse invaders. However, in Christian times a fair-haired man was considered very lucky providing his name was Andrew (because St. Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland). The firstfooter must make an offering, or handsel. The offering can be food, drink or fuel for the fire. Rituals which have evolved from this custom are many. An offering of food or drink must be accepted by sharing it with everyone present, including the visitor. Fuel must be placed onto the fire by the visitor with the words "A good New Year to one and all and many may you see." In today's fireless society, the fuel is usually presented as a polished piece of coal, or wood, which can be preserved for the year as an ornament.

Interesting. My Irish grandmother always insisted that a dark-haired man be the first to enter the house on the New Year. It was sign of good luck. She always had my uncle, the darkest hair of the lot, leave the house and re-enter after our New Year Eve's celebration. I often wondered the story behind this superstition of hers. Could it be Scottish?

[BoldHighlander]

Interesting. My Irish grandmother always insisted that a dark-haired man be the first to enter the house on the New Year. It was sign of good luck. She always had my uncle, the darkest hair of the lot, leave the house and re-enter after our New Year Eve's celebration. I often wondered the story behind this superstition of hers. Could it be Scottish?

Regarding the firstfooters, I don't know if the author of the article meant in (early) Christian times or in present times, as I noticed when I posted that portion in an earlier thread that it was remarked upon that the dark haired were the "lucky ones/visitors".

Seems the tradition reversed itself somewhere along the lines back to those earlier Scots vs Norse days

Its a cool tradition nonetheless

[macwilkin]

Regarding the firstfooters, I don't know if the author of the article meant in (early) Christian times or in present times, as I noticed when I posted that portion in an earlier thread that it was remarked upon that the dark haired were the "lucky ones/visitors".

Seems the tradition reversed itself somewhere along the lines back to those earlier Scots vs Norse days

Its a cool tradition nonetheless

Vance Randolph documents a very similar tradition among the Ozarks hillfolk in his magnum opus, Ozark Magic & Folklore.

T.