Patrick, how did 'rabbit' get from London to Maryland???

And, how doooo these things get started to begin with!

Happy 2006 to all no matter what you say each month!

I would guess a lot of folk customs went from Britain to America with the people...

In parts of Scotland and in Yorkshire in England, it is the custom to say as the final words of the old year "black rabbits, black rabbits, black rabbits" and as the first of the new year:"white rabbits, white rabbits, white rabbits". My family did this, and I have asked but the reason why (beyond "well, dear, tis for luck") seems to be lost in the mists of time...

My country has the following rules for New Year first encounter:
1- If the first person that a male see is a Woman, then is good luck..

2- if the first person that a woman see is a Male, then is good luck..

At the other hand if a person of one sex see another person of the same sex, than you have bad luck during the year.

Also in New Year Eve, we trow away something old at midnight.
This custom does not apply to our spouse , companion or girl/boy friend.

First Footing is, of course, a great Scottish tradition. Not as great as it used to be, but still not bad.

Your First Foot should be male, dark-haired, tall and handsome. He should be carrying a lump of coal, shortbread/
Black Bun/or something else edible,and most essentially a bottle of whisky. Upon his entering your home, you will offer him dram of your whisky and he will offer you a dram of his. When he leaves your house, he takes his bottle with him (if there's anything left in it!), but leaves the coal and edibles behind for you.

The only person I heard the rabbit thing from was an English friend. Nobody in my family ever said anything about rabbits at New Year.

Would it help if I were to place a trail of bread crumbs leading to my door? I'd really like Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome to come pay me a visit!

Fascinating stuff. When a small child on a Scottish island many, many years ago I had to say on the first day of the month 'white rabbits' as soon as I woke up. If I forgot and spoke to someone before saying the words I was told by my parents that it was going to be an unlucky month.

Thank you folks for bringing back a memory I had completely forgotten about.

joe

Is it to late to say White rabbits, white rabbits, white rabbits? Thanks for your answers everyone. It is too late for this year, but I will try to keep my red-headed husband from being the first to enter homes next year.

As already said, the idea was that your first foot had to be tall dark and handsome, and he had to carry a piece of coal. I think the deal was that they had to bring food, drink and fuel. Nowadays it's traditionally Shortbread, whisky and coal. The thing about the bottle is quite modern, and I, personally, think it's a bit naff to carry a bottle with you as you go round. The first footer had to be dark, because after years of Viking invasion, the people did not want a fair haired stranger at their door.

When we were kids it was a great night. We were sent to bed, and then allowed to get up again after midnight. The house would fill with people and there'd be songs and someone playing the piano, and lots of drink- but, in our house, at least, no drunkenness.

Just after the bells, my dad would open the front door "to let the old year out and the new year in". And we would never have someone from the house as our first foot- although that's not a universal approach, since the group we were away with at the New Year, most of whom have Scots ancestry, are split down the middle on the subject.

100 years ago, there was a tradition of guising (trick or treating) on Hogmanany. I think some odd versions of it continue in some remote places, but it's rare now. That's asscoaited with the giving of gifts, which was done at New Year and not at Christmas. Kids were given tokens, which were called a "Hogmanay"

We have been going away as a group for nearly 20 years; to a remote house where we make our own entertainment. Hogmanay has turned into a huge commercial thing, probably mainly because of the fact that communities are no longer homogenous, and it's no longer acceptable (rightly) to drink and drive, so the walking round the neighbours is pretty much all over.

Debts are supposed to be paid; and the house was cleaned top to bottom before midnight. It was traditional to clear out the fire and light a new one after the bells. Mind you, in checking this out, I find that in some places, it was important to keep the fire in all night, instead. Here in Aberdeen, all the ships in the harbour sound their whistle, and sirens at midnight. That's real eerie.

My friend Iain's mum, who got fed up with him nicking a bit off her Black Bun every New year, for our trip away, has taken to baking one just for us. Now, if we can just get her to halve the quantities.......

We don't, incidentally, celebrate Hogmanay. We celebrate the New Year., and even in my father's time, it was a far bigger holiday than Christmas. indeed, it WAS a holiday, unlike Christmas.