What is Hogmanay?

A Time Traveler’s Guide to Hogmanay

This year’s Chrononaut Cotillion theme is “An Outlandish Hogmanay.” It references the Dianna Gabaldon time traveling Outlander novels. In those novels, Hogmanay is celebrated at the New Year. You may be scratching your head and wondering what exactly is Hogmanay?

Hogmanay originated with the Viking tourists who visited Scotland in the early 8th and 9th centuries. It’s a celebration of Yule, the longest and darkest nights of the year. In a bit of sympathetic magic, fire is used to drive away the dark and bring back the sun. Ironically, at the end of the 17th century, the protestant reformed church banned Christmas for being too unchristian like. The Scots, in their infinite wisdom, decided to celebrate the very pagan based Hogmanay instead. This was the case until the ban on Christmas was lifted in 1950.

The traditions associated with Hogmanay are many. First, the whole house is cleaned and the ashes from the fire are removed from the house. All debts are settled so that the new year can start with a clean slate. The house is then made ready for visitors, feasting and merriment. Hospitality is key. Friends and family gather in a house lit with many candles. A roaring fire is in the hearth. Food and whisky in abundance are offered to all those gathered. Perhaps because of the copious amounts of whiskey, there is much enthusiastic kissing at midnight. The singing of “Auld Lang Syne” with whisky fueled gusto is also an important part of any Hogmanay celebration.

One Hogmanay tradition is that of the First Foot. If the first person to set foot in the house after midnight is a dark-haired man, the household will see good luck and prosperity during the new year. Blonds and red heads are exceedingly unlucky, most likely a throwback to the previously mentioned Viking tourists. Women were considered unlucky as well, especially red-haired women. Many times, a designated First Footer was prearranged. This dark-haired male would visit many homes throughout the early hours of the New Year. He would come bearing gifts of coal, shortbread, salt, a black bun, and a wee dram of whisky. He would be compensated with gifts of cash, food, and a wee dram or two.

Now that some of the traditions of Hogmanay have been explained, you may be wondering about the name itself. This harkens back to the early pagan traditions of the Yule celebration. The traditional New Year ceremony would involve men and boys dressing up in hides and running around the village while being hit by sticks. I’m assuming a few red-haired women whacked at the men with great enthusiasm. Bad luck for them indeed! There would be great bonfires and many torches. The torches were made by wrapping a bit of hide around a stick. Once lit, the torches burned and smoked in an effort to drive away evil. These torches were known as Hogmanay. Many communities still host torchlit parades. Some locales hurl large balls of flame into the sea in a throwback to the Viking practices used to bring back the sun.

This, in short, is a history of Hogmanay. Plan to join your fellow time travelers at this year’s Chrononaut Cotillion – An Outlandish Hogmanay and ring in the New Year with a bit of Scottish flair. And whisky. Whisky aids the singing, dancing, and kissing!