Hogmanay (hog- mah-NAY)and New Year Traditions in N.S.

[Bessie]

The Origins of the name Hogmanay are obscure, This is a rousing Scottish New Year Celebration and the serving of shortbread to those visiting from house to house has long been a custom for the Scots First footing"
(that is, the "first foot" in the house after midnight) is still common in Scotland and Nova Scotia. To ensure good luck for the house, the first foot should be male, dark (believed to be a throwback to the Viking days when blond strangers arriving on your doorstep meant trouble) and should bring symbolic coal, shortbread, salt,black bun, and whiskey. These days,however,whiskey and perhaps shortbread are the only items still prevalent (and available). No whiskey in our house however. In Scotland all night street parties are held and Jan 2 is a holiday to get over all the celebrations of the previous week." My friend who does Scottish Country Dancing went to a Hogmanay (hog- mah-NAY)dance in the Chester area of N.S. on New Years eve. The guns were fired in our neighbourhood at midnight a couple of times Likely blanks or buckshot and itt reminded me of home in Pic Co years ago when one was not afraid as we knew it was the tradition of celebrating a New Year .

Scottish New Year Hogmanay in our home
It was always important to my mother Christine Catherine Muir Smith that a dark haired man had to enter the house first on New Years Day which she always arranged ahead of time and waited anxiously for the knock .. Maybe it would come shortly after the firing of the guns at 12 midnuight, by the neighbors, to celebrate the New Year, but most often in the morning and he usually had a lump of coal with him ,salt and a piece of shortbread. which signified good luck, a warm home and lots to eat in the coming year. She made arrrangements with her nephew, Bill Muir, who lived next door to come on New Years day morning and I am sure she would not let another in until Bill's visit was over especially, a light haired gemtleman. My Uncle ,Roddie Muir who had red hair lived in an apartment in our house but he was not allowed to enter for breakfast as he was fair haired. until Bill had finished his visit." Happy New Year everyone from the Flanders

[Jann Muir ~ Guardian Clann Muir]

This is awsome Bessie!
Can I come home?
Grandpa was a redhead too...LOL
Love you,
Jann

[Bessie]

more recipes at http://maenelsonpoole.homestead.com/BessiesPage.html

[Bessie]

" I call this East Lake Ainslie Graham Pudding because my

greatgrandparents came from there and St Ann's, Cape Breton Island." but the pioneers came from Isle of Muck and the Muirs from Kilmarnock Ayershire Scotland
"My mother made this each year.It is very plain but the Butterscotch Sauce makes it delicious"

" I believe the recipe came from Scotland with the pioneers.It is very inexpensive and plain" Bessie
11/2 cups of graham flour

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup molasses

1 cup of sour milk with 1 tsp soda added

1 egg - beaten

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup shortening to molasses

add spices to flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg



Put in a bowl that can stand heat, greased and pour in batter.

Cover with two layers of greased brown paper and tie with a string , very tight--leave a little room at the top for expansion.

Place in a steamer with water boiling in it ready for the bowl or turn a saucer upside down and place bowl on that in a roaster. Cover and cook 2 -3 hrs.
Add boiling water to pot as needed.should be half way up the bowl
Test and remove from bowl to cool on a rack.

Caramel Butterscotch Sauce.

1 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp butter
Brown and dissolve sugar in a heavy bottomed pot on the stove - -stir constantly --5 minutes or so----careful it does not burn - then add 1 cup boiling water stirring constantly.
Have mixed 1/4 cup of flour, 1/2 tsp salt and a little water to make a paste. Add at this point .cook approximately 5 minutes and add 1 tsp of Vanilla after you remove from the stove.
You could add a bit of fruit to the batter. "I used apricots one year---finely chopped and mixed dried fruit, but Mom always served it plain with the sauce. Warm slices of the pudding and served with warm sauce"
Notice in true Scotsman fashion this is very cheap to make . LOLl
Bessie

[Bessie]

some how when I was a child we also said trick or treat and Hogmanay at Halloween too think we were confused LOL
Bessie