First Footin' at Rural Hill

Enjoy the holiday’s pleasures a little too much? Stuffed to the gills on from all those parties? Determined that this is the year to make a change for the better? Why not come out to Rural Hill and start 2011 off right with First Footin, our annual 5k hike and celebration of Hogmanay, or Scottish New Years!?

The Tradition
Following the Protestant Reformation in Scotland in the latter half of the sixteenth century, it was considered irreverent to celebrate dates of religious importance. Thus, merriment and celebrations were reserved for Hogmanay (pronounced Hog-muh-nay), this important part of the year combined both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day with a celebration of good will and good fortune.
The use of the term "first-footin'", according to legend, is as follows:

fortune would smile on the household if the first person to set foot in the doorway on the New Year was a young man; presumably tall, handsome, healthy, dark haired, dark-eyed, and bearing gifts (such as a lump of coal). Today it does no harm if the first-footer carries a bottle of his best and favorite beverage to offer his host a drink and a toast, stating "Lang may your lum reek." This traditional Scottish salutation wishes its recipient long life and prosperity. It literally means “long may your chimney smoke” (hence the lump of coal).

A first-footer who arrived empty handed was seen as a terrible omen of poverty and loss in the New Year. However, it was traditionally believed that it spelled disaster upon the household if the first person across the threshold was a woman of any age, especially a blond. (This may be due to the Viking raiders, most of whom had blonde hair and certainly spelled disaster upon any rival’s home that they visited)

Several towns throughout the hillsides of Scotland continue an age old annual ritual of a walking the town limits to restate or reclaim the boundaries of the township.

These traditions have been adopted as part of the Rural Hill Hogmanay (Scottish New Year) celebration, known simply as “First Footin’”. Traditionally, the fulfillments of Hogmanay’s rituals and folklore have assured good crops, good health, and good fortune in the coming year.

The Walk
Wear good walking shoes and appropriate clothing for the season.

This will be a fairly vigorous hike around the farm’s 5k trail network, stopping along the way to discuss history and folklore.

If you do not think you are physically able to do the walk, please come anyway. It’s a great time for fellowship around the farm yard, and we’re always looking for new talent to help with the reading of the parable of “Stone Soup”.

This event is FREE and open all, but we do encourage everyone to bring something for the luncheon. (Remember, its bad luck to show up empty handed)

List of Items Needed:
•Fresh or canned vegetables for the soup
•Bread
•Dessert
•Soft Drinks, Tea, or Favorite Beverage
•Bowls, Plates, Napkins, Eating Utensils

Schedule
11:00 The First Footin’ Hike
12:30 Presentation of Stone Soup
2:00 End

More on Hogmanay
To learn more about this traditional event visit: http://www.hogmanay.net/

Each year on New Year’s Eve, a celebration is held in Scotland called Hogmanay. In cities throughout Scotland thousands of revelers take to the streets to ring in the New Year. In cities like Glasgow and Edinburgh it has become a large festival. The festivities begin in the early evening and reach a climax by midnight. Minutes before the commencement of the New Year, a single bagpiper plays. Then the bells of Big Ben chime at the turn of midnight. There is lots of kissing and hugging, and everyone joins in to sing what has become the traditional New Year’s song of “Auld Lang Syne”.

Elsewhere in Scotland, particularly in more remote communities, there are customary first footing and Scottish dances, or ceilidhs (pronounced "kayli"). For centuries, fire ceremonies and torch light processions, fireball swinging and lighting of New Year fires played an important part in the Hogmanay celebrations. In some towns this tradition continues.

Where did the word Hogmanay Originate
No one is exactly certain where "Hogmanay" comes from. Some propose it originated from the Gaelic oge maidne ("New Morning"). Others believe the Anglo-Saxon, Haleg Monath ("Holy Month"), and there are those who believe from the Norman French word hoguinané, which was derived from the Old French anguillanneuf ("gift at New Year"). Some people have said that it derived from the French au gui mener ("lead to the mistletoe") or a Flemish combo hoog ("high" or "great"), min ("love" or "affection") and dag ("day").

Roots of Hogmanay
Hogmanay's roots reach back to the pagan practice of sun and fire worship in the deep mid-Winter. This evolved into the ancient Saturnalia, a great Roman Winter festival, where people celebrated completely free of restraint and inhibition. The Vikings celebrated Yule, which became the twelve days of Christmas, or the "Daft Days" as they became known in Scotland. The winter festival went underground with the Reformation and ensuing years, but re-emerged at the end of the 17th Century. Since then the customs have continued to evolve to the modern day. It is only in recent years that Hogmanay has been celebrated on such a large scale: the first event of its kind was at "Summit in the City" in 1992 when Edinburgh hosted the European Union Heads of State conference. Edinburgh's Hogmanay festival was so successful that it spawned similar events throughout Scotland for last year's millennium festivities. This year the big three Scottish Ne'er celebrations are Edinburgh's Hogmanay, Glasgow's Hogmanay and Stirling's Hogmanay.

Who Has the Largest Hogmanay Party?
The biggest Hogmanay street party in Scotland to date was an estimated 300,000 at Edinburgh's Hogmanay in 1996/97. Due to the mass numbers of people there was overcrowding and people were crushed in the celebration. Consequently, tickets were issued out for this event making it somewhat of an “invitation only” celebration.

Traditional New Year’s Song-Auld Lang's Syne
Many people, of Scottish descent or not, sing the Robert Burn’s original Auld Lang’s Syne at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve. The words are written in old Scots, the language commonly spoken in Scotland until 1707 when Scotland's Parliament dissolved itself and was merged with England. The words were adapted by Robert Burns, Scotland's National poet, from a traditional poem.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup o'kindness yet
For auld lang syne!