New Year's Traditions

Do you have any in your neck of the woods?

A tradition for us in Lancashire was that the darkest member of the family would leave the house just before midnight through the back door on New Year's Eve, collect a nugget of coal, go round the back and re-enter the house with the coal at the stroke of midnight. It was said to bring good luck.

I very much doubt this tradition is continued nowadays because most folk don't have coal, and to be honest, I'm not sure where the origins of this tradition lies.

What other traditions are there?

Re: New Year's Traditions

My parents used to open the back door to let the old year out and the front door to let the new year in. It was bloody freezing!

Still, a neighbour would usually cime round bearing a piece of coal and the traditional saying "Lang may yer lumb reek". There was always a drink of something or other and the toast "Here's tae us an' who's like us - damn few an' they're a' deid."

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My hubby and I did this up till 4 yrs ago when he became too ill. No one else round here did it though some were from the same area as us.

Re: New Year's Traditions

Love that one George.

When I was wee (all those years ago) we all used to gather in my grandmother's house around 10PM on Hogmany and celebrate new year as her old grandfather clock hit 12o'clock then we'd sing Auld Lang Syne, the adults would hae a wee dram o' the whiskey she always had in the house and go home again.

Now it's a case of sticking on the television for the BBC 1 Hogmany Live and singing along to Auld Lang Syne.

We have a big meal on New Years day but it is more of a swift affair than Christmas Day, or it is meant to be anyway.

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Well I personally don't have any 'New Year' traditions, and being as far from Scotland as its possible to go and still remain in Uk, I might just have my Haggis and wash it down with some alcoholic beverage. For those 'North' of the border - there's another celebration coming up later next month too (25th January) - any excuse for a good 'nosh' is fine by me.

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My mother came from Cheshire originally and I believe her family had that tradition. We didn't do it though, when we were kids, my father thought it silly. We have had no New Year traditions, apart from falling asleep in front of the TV in our family. My husband and I go to bed at our usual time by 10pm on New Year's Eve, these days.

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I think 'first footing' originated in Scotland then migrated to the northern counties. We certainly had it in north Derbyshire when I was a child but I think it has largely died out now .
As you say Mollie not many people have coal around and I think a lot of people go out to pubs and party's on NYE so are not in their homes anyway.

I like to be in bed by midnight with the windows open where I can hear the church bells ringing and watch the fireworks which many people have ...

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My Father was from Aberdeen and he used to follow the same traditions at New year.

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No traditions here - at one time the neighbours used to go outdoors at midnight and clang dustbin lids and saucepans to welcome in the New Year ....... even that has stopped now.

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We have moved house this year. Our previous property was in a very rural setting, where nothing much happened. We now live in a village, but it seems fairly quiet, thank goodness. Hopefully New Year's Eve won't disturb our slumbers.