Scottish festivals

 

Hogmanay

 

At midnight on 31st December throughout Great Britain people celebrate the coming of the new year, by holding hands in a large circle and singing this song:

 

Should auld acquaintance be forgot

And never brought to mind

Should auld acquaintance be forgot

For the sake of auld lang syne.

 

For auld lang syne, my dear,

For auld lang syne

We'll take a cup of kindness yet,

For the sake of auld lang syne.

 

'For auld lang syne' means 'in memory of past times' and the words were written by Scotland's most famous poet, Robert Burns. He wrote much of his poetry in the Scots dialect of English.

 

New Year's Eve is a more important festival in Scotland than it is in England, and it even has a special name. It is not clear where the word 'hogmanay' comes from, but it is connected with the provision of food and drink for all visitors to your home on 31st December. In addition, many people believe that you will have good luck for the coming year if the first person to enter your house after midnight is a 'tall dark stranger'. It is also thought lucky if this person brings a piece of coal and some white bread! Most Scots take part in a ceilidh (Gaelic for 'dance') on New Year's Eve and there is much dancing and singing until the early hours of the moming.

 

Burns' Night

 

25th January is celebrated all over the world by Scotsmen wherever they are, as it is the birthday of Robert Burns. As at hogmanay, a special meal of haggis, potatoes and swede is eaten, washed down by lots of whisky! The haggis is carried into the dining room behind a piper wearing traditional dress. He then reads a poem written especially for the haggis!

 

Scottish words

 

Many Scottish people still use some Scottish words when they speak English.

 

'Wee', meaning small, is often heard in such expressions as 'wee laddie' - small boy. 'A bonnie lass' is a pretty girl and a 'baim' is a young child. If someone answers your questions with 'aye' they are agreeing with you: 'aye' means yes. Finally, if you are offered a 'wee dram' be careful: you'll be given some whisky to drink and you will probably have to drink it all in one go!

 

Susan Sheerin, Jonathan Seath, Gillian White: Spotlight on Britain; Oxford University Press, 1985, page 88