New Year's Eve/Hogmanay plans for tonight

[sevenfourate]

I smelt many things! Then saw the cause of the smell as I reached the opened wide bedroom window!

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That’s known as a Lowestoft window box…….

 

[PeteXXX]

 

[Brandane]

Well, I've learned a new thing!

“First footing”, or the tradition of the “first foot” in the house after midnight strikes on New Year’s Eve, is still common across Scotland. To ensure good luck for the house, the first foot should be a dark-haired male. He should bring with him symbolic pieces of coal, shortbread, salt, black bun, and a wee dram of whisky. The dark-haired male bit is believed to be a throwback to the Viking days, when a big blonde stranger arriving on your doorstep with a big axe meant big trouble, likely not to lead to a very happy New Year!

A dying tradition in Scotland, as is the whole New Year "thing".
Sadly, even some of the big shops are now open on NY day. That wouldn't have been allowed to happen a generation ago.
I haven't been out first-footing since the 80's. Maybe it still happens in some of the smaller, close communities. But not anywhere near me. I miss it. I came from a small island community, where NY lasted for about 2 weeks. If you bumped into someone in mid January who you hadn't seen since the turn of the year, it wasn't uncommon for them to produce a whisky bottle from a jacket pocket and you would have a wee dram as a NY tradition! Great days, sadly gone.

 

[Time Waster]

A dying tradition in Scotland, as is the whole New Year "thing".
Sadly, even some of the big shops are now open on NY day. That wouldn't have been allowed to happen a generation ago.
I haven't been out first-footing since the 80's. Maybe it still happens in some of the smaller, close communities. But not anywhere near me. I miss it. I came from a small island community, where NY lasted for about 2 weeks. If you bumped into someone in mid January who you hadn't seen since the turn of the year, it wasn't uncommon for them to produce a whisky bottle from a jacket pocket and you would have a wee dram as a NY tradition! Great days, sadly gone.

As a kid we did that but it involved my dad stepping out the back then going round the front to knock on the door. Our tradition was a piece of coal and the male at the door got a dram of Whiskey. Which with my parents measures it was not a wee dram by any stretch of the imagination. They measured spirits by the fingers. One finger wasn't worth having, two was made up with the little and index fingers held on a grip around the glass. 3 fingers has no point.

BTW the first footing had a different name and it was from the Liverpool side of my family. We have no Scottish links at all. I think there's variants of first footing around the UK and possibly Europe too.

So we're out for dinner in Edinburgh soon. Booked late so we could go out and enjoy the fireworks afterwards. No fireworks this year or hogmanay at all so I'm wondering what the 10,000 people that were booked to be there will be doing tonight. Our hotel emptied a lot this morning judging by how many appeared at breakfast. Suspect most visitors have gone home early. This'll cost the Edinburgh economy a tidy packet I reckon.

 

[Emanresu]

A dying tradition in Scotland, as is the whole New Year "thing".
Sadly, even some of the big shops are now open on NY day. That wouldn't have been allowed to happen a generation ago.
I haven't been out first-footing since the 80's. Maybe it still happens in some of the smaller, close communities. But not anywhere near me. I miss it. I came from a small island community, where NY lasted for about 2 weeks. If you bumped into someone in mid January who you hadn't seen since the turn of the year, it wasn't uncommon for them to produce a whisky bottle from a jacket pocket and you would have a wee dram as a NY tradition! Great days, sadly gone.

I’d echo @Brandane here. My OH is from the Highlands and you can’t get a better New Year than there. The sense of community is heartwarming and they even take outsiders like me into their homes. If you get a chance - go north.

Meanwhile as a substitute I am in Spain completing a 100 km walk tomorrow. Have made a pork stroganoff which goes nicely with a Rioja.

2025 beckons with some serious training.

 

[tyred]

 

[ColinJ]

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I was in Aldi earlier today. The special offer shelves there were full of stuff for prospective NY fitness enthusiasts... Weights, yoga mats, exercise clothing etc. I wonder how many times each item gets used on average before it ends up in a charity shop or stashed away in a cardboard box in the attic!

 

[cyberknight]

I was in Aldi earlier today. The special offer shelves there were full of stuff for prospective NY fitness enthusiasts... Weights, yoga mats, exercise clothing etc. I wonder how many times each item gets used on average before it ends up in a charity shop or stashed away in a cardboard box in the attic!

i popped into aldi and saw them too, they had some winter gloves but none big enough for my liking as they looked like the cycling gloves without reflective bits at £6.99

 

[fossyant]

Not so sure I'll last another four hours. Tired. Broke out the cheese and chutney selection to keep going. Absolutely tipping it down so you'll need waterproof fireworks round here.

 

[tyred]

I was in Aldi earlier today. The special offer shelves there were full of stuff for prospective NY fitness enthusiasts... Weights, yoga mats, exercise clothing etc. I wonder how many times each item gets used on average before it ends up in a charity shop or stashed away in a cardboard box in the attic!

If I see a skip outside a house when I'm out and about, I nearly always have a quick look for any interesting bikes that are being dumped.

It amazes me how often there will be an exercise bike or some other piece of fitness equipment sitting on top.

A work colleague was telling me recently that his wife and himself had taken out six months gym membership each in July and were unsure whether to renew it as she had been twice and he hadn't went at all!

My grandfather always said the road to Hell was paved with good intentions! Sadly true for many, myself included. My fitness is pretty good but I consume too many calories.

 

[StuAff]

As per usual, I'll drown out the noisy idiots with something suitable (probably Godflesh tonight, just bought a couple of albums on Bandcamp) then sleep.

 

[vickster]

I'm full of lurgy but I'm going to drive 5 miles and see the new year in with some friends, drive home and see if I can sleep with this bloody cough!
All friends have recently had colds, so they're ok with me joining them! I'm making the effort as I spent NYE alone last year too.
🤧

 

[Reynard]

Well, Tesco was negotiated. I picked up a few nice bits although there wasn't much. Apparently they did the reductions first thing this morning. Ah well, a girl needs her beauty sleep...

Supper has been consumed (a well-filled wrap, some picky bits from the fridge and a single-serving mixed berry trifle) and I am now sat by the fire in a onesie, pink fluffy socks and sparkly pink crocs surfing the 'net and doing some writing.

And that is how I intend to spend the remainder of the evening.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I'm having my first alcoholic drink of New Year's Eve. It's a bottle of Greene King IPA.🍻

 

[Accy cyclist]

I've also opened my 150 gram bag of Twiglets.