Thursday 31 December 2009

Happy New Year

At the risk of being boringly Scottish, I'd like to wish everyone a very Happy New Year.




"First footing" (that is, the "first foot" in the house after midnight) is still common in Scotland. To ensure good luck for the house, the first foot should be male, dark (believed to be a throwback to the Viking days when blond strangers arriving on your doorstep meant trouble) and should bring symbolic coal, shortbread, salt, black bun and whisky. These days, however, whisky and perhaps shortbread are the only items still prevalent (and available).

A very warm welcome to Norma, JFolk and Susan of minicrochet as new followers - all the very best to you for 2010!

May the best ye hae ivver seen be the warst ye'll ivver see.
May the moose ne'er lea' yer girnal wi a tear-drap in its ee.
May ye aye keep hail an hertie till ye'r auld eneuch tae dee.
May ye aye juist be sae happie as A wuss ye aye tae be.

The above, in translation, reads:

May the best you have ever seen be the worst you will ever see.
May the mouse never leave your grain store with a tear drop in its eye.
May you always stay hale and hearty until you are old enough to die.
May you still be as happy as I always wish you to be.

4 comments:

  1. May yer Tenement be warm and cosy
    May yer hearth be hot and yer tatties roasties
    May yer roof protect yer wee Scottish clan
    May yer doorstep be crossed by a handsome dark man.

    Happy new Mini Year

    Vxx

    ReplyDelete
  2. May the whisky never run out ;) Lovely reading first hand of Scots tradition.

    Some of my family came from Esslemont. I'm first gen. Aussie on mums side and second on dads. Rabid scots are we! I changed one letter of my maiden name from Monro to Munro :) when I married the Grumpy Old Man.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Happy New Year, Irene!
    Hugs~
    Gaye

    ReplyDelete

 

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