Hello Jeannette, Family traditions will differ, but will to some extent reflect local society. In my youth and for some years beyond, Christmas was a normal working day. Come New Years Eve, work went on until quite late. At home, members of the family would arrive from afar to make the occasion a family reunion. Up to midnight we would have a spring clean of the house, so that we started the New Year perfectly. The first drink would be at midnight. Father would go to the front door and open it to let the New Year in. He would go outside, look at the moon and turn over the coins in his pocket thinking of a prosperous New Year. You wished other people "A Good New Year" hoping that they would have good health, wealth, and happiness in the next 12 months. The modern tendency is to suggest that they have a good New Year party. After that we would visit the neighbours and they would visit us. Then the grandparents would stay in the house to look after the children and we would head off to visit friends at the other end of town, walking, of course. There the party would go on until six or later. Then we would walk home. The New Year's Day turkey would be put in the oven, and we would go to bed. For my first New Year away from home, as the youngest aboard a Royal Navy ship, I struck sixteen on the ship's bell, instead of the usual eight to mark the end of the First Watch, 8pm to midnight. A Guid New Year to yin and a'. Jim -----Original Message----- From: lanark-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:lanark-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of J T Walton Sent: 30 December 2009 21:16 To: LANARK Subject: [Lanark] Holiday traditions Hi listers, I'm just getting ready for the New Year and thinking about holiday celebrations, past and present. Anyone care to share what is or was the tradition in Scotland? I hope this is not considered Off Topic. Best regards, Jeannette in Sunny, warm Florida ------------------------------- LANARK, SCOTLAND MAILING LIST LIST TOPIC: The discussion and research of genealogy or history information pertaining to Lanark, Scotland at any point in its history. WHEN REPLYING to any list post please remember to snip most of the earlier message before you post any reply LIST INFORMATION PAGE: Contact the List Admin at lanark-admin@rootsweb.com; or to search the list archives, get information on subscribing or unsubscribing, or to obtain other useful information to help you use the list more effectively, please click on the following link to the list information page online: http://lists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/index/intl/SCT/LANARK.html ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to LANARK-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message