Traditions and Trivia: Hogmanay

Hogmanay is more than a funny sounding word known to the Scottish and a few English meaning friendship and celebration of the year to come. 

There are many little rituals and customs that the people celebrating participate in, but one that is still celebrated to this day is the “first footing.”

National Geographic states, “A custom known as "first footing" dictates that the first person to cross a home's threshold after midnight on New Year's Eve will determine the homeowner's luck for the New Year.”

The best kind of visitor would bring gifts like coal for the fire, whiskey, and most importantly, have a dark complexion and hair.

After years of invasions from the fair-haired and fair-skinned Vikings, the tradition seems to make sense.

In recent times, gatherings in large, open and public places, much like Times Square in New York, has grown so large that tickets are now needed to attend.