Letting in the new year

[mmitchell]

as the saying go letting in the new year in what way is the traditional to let the new year in my son says go out of the back door before midnight and come back in the front door after midnight

[rubydazzler]

As my father was the only dark haired man around when I was little, he usually got the task of bringing in the New Year for what must have been most of the nearby houses.

 

He was sent out of the door just before midnight, with bread, coal and salt. After midnight he sang a song at the door about New Year, was allowed in - sprinkled salt at the threshold, gave a little bit of bread and coal to the lady of the house, poked the fire and had a wee dram. We then sang Auld Lang Syne.

 

He then went to 'bring in' the New Year at other houses and usually returned about 2 in the morning, more than a little worse for wear, having had a 'wee dram' at every house who needed his services.

 

Letting anyone who isn't a dark haired man across the threshold before the New Year's been properly brought in, is terribly bad luck. Which probably explains a lot about modern life. Does anyone follow the old tradition now? I can't, not having access to a dark man and my luck is terrible.!

[Hayley1]

hmm. We always did it t'other way around. Maybe it was cos my mother was a scot.

 

A tall dark haired man would 'first foot' and bring in a bottle of whisky for toasting in the new year, a lump of coal to bring the family warmth, a black bun (no, it's not a burnt one lol) I think many people use shortbread these days instead, this is to wish the family a fully stocked pantry, a silver coin to bring wealth and a sprig of holly to bring the family long life.

 

Then the first footer would take a pan of ashes from the fire out with him to signify saying goodbye to the old year.

[steelhead4]

Ahh " first footing" , A nice old Pagan Tradition

 

First Footing

[Hayley1]

the superstition about the bad luck & fair haired fella first footing, or red head, which was worse, was something to do with the vikings I believe.

[chimay]

The darkest haired person went out the back door and knocked on the front door carrying a piece of coal. When I was a kid we used to go round all the neighbours houses with the lump of coal and sang a rhyme (not auld lang syne) which I've long forgotten but would love to be reminded of it if anyone knows what I'm on about. Neighbours would give us 'good luck' money (probably to stop us singing).

 

I send my OH out of the back door and back in through the front door. Unfortunatley thanks to gas central heating we don't have coal anymore

[chimay]

the superstition about the bad luck & fair haired fella first footing, or red head, which was worse, was something to do with the vikings I believe.

 

I'm a red head and I never heard about the red haired person bringing bad luck. I used to join my mates first footing and no one ever said that I took bad luck with me.

[rubydazzler]

Ahh " first footing" , A nice old Pagan Tradition

First Footing

Oh yes, that was another tradition, that the house must be scrupulously clean, all the linen changed, washing and ironing done, fire freshly made.

 

My mother always used to say that if you were in a muddle and mess on NYE, you'd be in a muddle and a mess all year long. And that whatever you were doing on NYE would be the same all year. So if you're sitting on your own tonight feeling sad and lonely ... don't expect much from 2011

[Hayley1]

I've found a few articles about it, but generally it harks back to the 8th century, when the presumably fair-haired Vikings invaded Scotland, so maybe as I said in my first post, it's a Scottish thing.

[rubydazzler]

I've found a few articles about it, but generally it harks back to the 8th century, when the presumably fair-haired Vikings invaded Scotland, so maybe as I said in my first post, it's a Scottish thing.

I think it has its real roots in the old religion and the Viking explanation came later.

 

It's also a generally Northern thing too. After all we had our fair share of Viking invaders in Yorkshire.

 

First footing was always done in Sheffield, afaik, and it had to be a dark man.