Hogmanay
The Scottish New Year is known as Hogmanay and both New Year's Eve and New Year's Day were also
known as Daft Days. In Scotland New Year's Eve is called Hogomanay or Night of the Candle.
Foods such as three cornered biscuits called Hogmanays are eaten.
Other foods that are special at this time are wine, cordials, cheese, bread, shortbread,
oatcake, currant loaf and scones.
In Scotland
an old tradition that still is relevant today is that of the first footer which is said, that whoever the
first person to set foot into your home
on New Year's day decided the family's
luck for the rest of the year.
This was based on the belief in the magic power of beginnings. The start of the New Year controlled
its
future course.
After welcoming the New Year,
all the people of the household
would
wait to see who the first person to enter
the house after midnight will be, as this person would indicate whether they
would have good luck or bad luck for
the coming year.