First Footing

“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 take a cup o kindness yet, for auld lang syne.”

The above words are likely familiar to most of us, as they have somehow become the official welcome to the new year, along with noisemakers, confetti and kissing when applicable.The words were first published in 1788 by the Scottish poet Rabbie Burns.

But I grew up (in the U.S.) with another tradition:  First Footing. Have you heard of it? What about Hogmanay?

The Scots' devotion to celebrating the new year with such intensity can be blamed on Presbyterianism. John Knox and his Reformation was adamant about revoking Catholic customs (the papists!) and this included the celebration of Christmas. In fact, it wasn't until the 1950s that Christmas became an actual 'day-off-from-work' holiday. To make up for it, they celebrated the New Year with exuberance (and superstition)!

You might see something strange about tossing one group of practices for another, but it wasn't easy to shake off the old ways!

The tradition of first-footing varied across Scotland, its isles and the north of England, but demands a visitor--preferably dark-haired male--arrive after midnight, bearing gifts. These were various tokens of good-fortune:   

a lump of coal, shortbread, a dram of whisky, 
coins, salt, black bun, and more. 

Preparation included taking out old things - like ash (Something I do daily this time of year--take out coal ash), sweeping the house, and even sending the head of the household out before the stroke of midnight.

The best scenario would be a dark-haired (and let's make him good-looking while we're at it!) visitor bearing gifts. Why dark hair? Those blond visitors known as Vikings brought nothing but bad luck in the seventh century!

Traditions change, and in some areas blond visitors are preferred, and the gifts are different.
Unfortunately, red-haired women were likely turned away!

When I was young, my grandfather would go outside, come back in and hand his wallet to his wife. Later on, we would just be glad if anyone came across the threshold. 

In Scotland, however, neighbors helped neighbors celebrate, and Hogmanay is bigger than ever!

I have no doubt that our colonial ancestors from Scotland kept this New Year's tradition of first-footing. But how often it is practiced now? I'm hoping to hear from those in the Carolinas, and east New Jersey where so many Scots settled, and find out who is still celebrating.

Have you heard of first-footers, and do you celebrate? 

So from me, and all of the authors at Colonial Quills, I offer this  blessing for your new year:

Go dtuga Dia deoch duit as an tobar nach dtrann

May God give you a drink from the well that never runs dry!

And some shortbread from my house to yours!

Visit Amazon to learn more about my Amateur Sleuth cozy set in Scotland,

More Sunshine, Please!

During the recent vernal equinox, I happened to be working on a project at work where I had to track daylight hours for a agricultural research project. Daylight hours are pretty important for ripening. and affect insect activity just a bit less than it affects us! FYI Bees really are less active on cloudy days!

Like it or not, we tend to let the weather affect our mood, and with real spring-like weather long overdue in this part of the Northern Hemisphere, it got me thinking about the changes for our Colonial forefathers who came to the U.S. from across the North Atlantic.


Given that the U.K's weather tends to be milder than say, New York State, we might need a reminder that Scotland, for example, is significantly farther north. We all understand that Alaska is the Land of the Midnight Sun, but have you considered how much daylight Inverness gets around the Winter Solstice? Verra little!

So did all those Highlanders that ended up in North Carolina enjoy those four extra hours of day light on a cold December day? Have you considered that in summer, the LONGEST day of the year is hardly any longer?
The fact is, sunrise to sunset is only part of the picture when you are far up north. Dawn and Dusk last quite a long time!

 

So, consider this: Summer's longest day is in Boston, not Jamaica?  Jamaica has very little change in day length throughout the year. Inverness, on the other hand, has five hours and fifteen minutes from sunrise to sunset for their 'shortest day of the year'! 

As a writer, I think I'm not alone when I look up weather data and daylength for my fictional world. But in the 'real world', daylength has a big impact on health and growing seasons. I imagine many of the colonists enjoyed the longer days in the new world. Different crops, longer hours to work outside, fewer hours cooped up inside depending on candles and firelight!

Weather can be a subject for another post!  Now, go enjoy some sunshine!

The Irish, The Scots and the Scotch-Irish

Throughout the 1600s, the English government encouraged the move of lowland Scots, Welsh and the northern English–Protestants all—to “Ulster Plantation” in the north of Ireland, in the hopes of some influence and balance over the independent, Catholic Irish. In Scotland, Highlanders and Lowland Scots were also leery of each other, separated by many cultural ideas as well as religion over multiple centuries. Indeed, all British history is spattered with the blood of religious animosity—quite obvious in the Tudor period.
 

From "Free Printable Maps.com"  here is today's United Kingdom.

Starting around 1718, large scale numbers of Scotch-Irish left northern Ireland for the new world. (At this time, they referred to themselves as Irish, but the term changed to Scotch-Irish when, a century later Catholic Irish Immigration began to surge, heightened during the famous Potato Famine in the 1840s.)  The Scotch-Irish Protestants settled well in North America, flourishing in their new freedoms and kept the traditions of strong work ethic and education. But few welcomed their Catholic peers from Scotland and Ireland with open arms. The Irish were one of the most poorly treated immigrant groups ‘welcomed’ to the new world, due in part to the earlier establishment of their Protestant countrymen.

Back home in 18th century Scotland, the north still held to its ways of clan society and the wearing of kilts until these practices were made illegal after the failed Jacobite Rebellion (the hope of putting a Catholic King back on the throne and disposing of the Protestant one) in 1745. Tartan was banned and families were forced off their own land, branded traitors to the English King. It wasn’t until 1782, almost 40 years later, that King George reinstated the right for Highlanders to wear Tartan—no doubt, a purely political move.   

Ironically, all Scots regiments serving in the British Army were outfitted in kilts throughout this time.

The Scotch Irish in America comprised 40% of the Continental Army. Not surprising, when their immigration numbers are estimated at 25-40,000 in the 18^th century. Most welcomed the chance to fight against Britain, or more specifically the English King. Even so, many leaned toward the Tory side and moved to a more loyal Canada.

Around the turn of the 19th century, the continued policy of ‘The Scottish Clearances’ included both northern Catholics and lowland Protestants and flamed a surprising new alignment of nationalism between the two based on little more than hatred of the English.

Those early 19^th century abuses sent a huge number of Gaelic speaking Catholics to the Cape Breton area of Nova Scotia, mid-Atlantic America, and North Carolina in particular. Many settled north of Lake Ontario and made up the Glengarry district whose men formed one of the toughest British regiments to fight in the War of 1812.

Many North Americans don’t understand the significant influence of these two Celtic countries on our histories, or the unsettled religious history. An estimated 27 million Americans are descendants of those Protestant Scotch-Irish alone! Thankfully, the "new world" eventually allowed old animosities to fade enough that Catholics and Protestants today prefer to celebrate a combined Celtic heritage.

The Scotland of today is more united under the ideal of the independent Scot--represented by the Highlander, the wearing of Tartans, the kilt, and renewed interest in the Gaelic language, and as always, their hesitance to be ruled from beyond their border. (Ironically, it was Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's love of the land and its wild history that prompted a resurgence in the use of the kilt and tartan!)

In Northern Ireland (remember it is part of the United Kingdom and not the same as the country of Ireland!) those referred to in North America as the Scotch-Irish are called Ulster Irish, or more loosely, ‘the Orange’. Unfortunately, the city of Belfast in Northern Ireland became synonymous with the animosity between Catholics and Protestants. Those same Scotch-Irish and Irish who left for the new world found its ‘melting-pot’ mindset brought them more easily to reconciliation.

So that's just a wee bit of the Celtic history shared by many of us in the 'new world. I hope you've enjoyed it or learned something new. What's your tie to this particular emigration? If none, what surprises you most about their history?

For myself, I have yet to find any ancestry outside of Great Britain. It's not a big place geographically but bursts with fascinating history.

Review of Heart's Inheritance by Jennifer Hudson Taylor

Heart’s Inheritance

By Jennifer Hudson Taylor

Reviewed by Teresa Mathews

Jennifer’s story “Heart’s Inheritance” tells the story of Brynna Sinclair, younger daughter of Finley and Seren Cardew Sinclair. Brynna is a young lady who loves history and antiques, and abhors change.  Brynna, accompanied by her brother Rob and friend Jean are on a trip to Charleston to learn as much as possible about museums. Brynna’s dream is to see a museum built in Fayetteville.

On the return trip home Rob is approached by a stranger from Scotland that would like to accompany them back to Charleston. From the moment they meet Brynna is determined not to like him. She is very cynical of the man whom she imagines looks the part of a handsome rogue. But this handsome rogue is Brynna’s new boss, the nephew of her very much loved now deceased boss, Edward Cameron. The more he talks about changing things in his newly inherited business, the angrier Brynna becomes. She is determined to fight him all the way, even if it means she must spread misconstrued stories about him to everyone in town. What will it take for Brynna to realize that he is not the monster she thinks he is?

Niall Cameron, the heir of Edward Cameron, beloved member of Fayetteville’s community, is anxious to begin his new life in America. When he meets Rob Sinclair, his sister Brynna and her friend Jean, he hopes they won’t mind if he rides along with them. Brynna is a beautiful, spirited young woman who for some reason cannot stand Niall. Rob tells Niall he needs to stop the talk of change and try to gain a love of history if he ever wants Brynna to change her mind about him.

On his first day in Fayetteville, Niall is shown around town by an unhappy Brynna, and it seems he can’t do anything without making her angry. He doesn’t understand her opposition to change, he knows change comes even when we don’t want it; his uncle’s death is proof of that. Niall is hoping he can change Brynna’s bitterness toward him but when he unknowingly undermines her plans for the museum by buying the building she wants; it seems there is no hope for that. Will Niall be able to mend the rift between Brynna and himself? When Niall comes to Brynna’s rescue when someone steals the treasures (including the broach) people have donated for her museum, will he survive, or will Brynna lose the greatest treasure of all, Niall? 

I was first introduced to Jennifer Hudson Taylor’s books when I read “Highland Blessings”; it was so well written that I couldn’t wait to read “Highland Sanctuary”. After reading this novella, I have come to the conclusion that it doesn’t matter the length of the story, Jennifer knows how to pull you in and keep you there unto the very last printed word!

Teresa is a reviewer on Overcoming Through Time - With God's Help.  When she is not busy with her boys she is looking out for her  Mama in South Carolina.  Teresa loves to read Christian historical fiction and share her reviews with others.


Highland Crossings (Barbour, 2012) follows the story of four young ladies linked through time by a beautiful broach handed down through several generations. This is the second review of four reviews on Colonial Quills. Click here for MaryLu Tyndall's review of Laurie Alice Eakes's novella.


Highland Crossings is available through CBD as well as Amazon and other book stores.  It is available in both paperback and ebook/Kindle editions.

GIVEAWAY:  Leave a comment and your email to be entered in this week’s contest.  Drawing will be late Saturday.  

Review of Highland Crossings Novella "Printed on My Heart" by Laurie Alice Eakes

Printed on My Heart
by Laurie Alice Eakes
(Barbour, 2012)

Reviewed by MaryLu Tyndall

Historic North Carolina takes center stage in a new collection of novellas that follows the lives and loves of four women…and the heirloom brooch that connects them through generations. Will Seona, Fiona, Seren, and Brynna find God’s path in a new world far from their Scottish home?

Printed on My Heart is the second story in the Highland Crossings Novella collection and it was an absolute delight to read!  Laurie Alice is one of my favorite authors. She has a way of grabbing you from the very beginning and never letting you go until she gives you a very satisfying ending. This book is no exception. The beginning opens up with the heroine, Fiona, tied to a whipping post about to be whipped by the town's constable for being a vagrant. Oh my!!  I'm hooked. Then along comes a tall, handsome man to the rescue, the son of the town's printer, who has secrets of his own, but a heart as big as the state. He pays for Fiona's release then brings her home to his loving family where she works as a bondswoma to pay off her debt. 

But Fiona has other plans. She is searching for a family heirloom, a precous brooch that her sister brought to the states from Scotland years earlier. Those plans are thwarted when she falls in love with Owain, the man who saved her and who now wins her heart. But Owain is involved in something that brings trouble to the family, and when the town constable threatens to ruin both their lives, will he and Fiona learn to put their trust in God and not in money or a family heirloom to provide what they need?

It's amazing how much romance and fun this author can put into one small novella. You won't want to miss Printed on my Heart!!  

Award-winning author Laurie Alice Eakes has always loved books. When she ran out of available stories to entertain and encourage her, she began creating her own tales of love and adventure. In 2006 she celebrated the publication of her first hardcover novel. Much to her astonishment and delight, it won the National Readers Choice Award. Besides writing, she teaches classes to other writers, mainly on research, something she enjoys nearly as much as creating characters and their exploits. A graduate of Asbury College and Seton Hill University, she lives in Texas with her husband and sundry animals.

Visit Laurie's website at :  http://lauriealiceeakes.com/


Highland Crossings is available for purchase through Amazon and  at Christianbook.com

Highland Crossings (Romancing America): North Carolina, has four novellas.  We will be reviewing each of the novellas here on CQ.  Tomorrow come by for a review of Jennifer Hudson Taylor's novella.

GIVEAWAY:  We will be giving away a copy of this book later in the week.