Regardless of religion, ethnicity or cultural background, the closing of the old year and the beginning of the new year is celebrated in many countries in many ways and has been for hundreds, sometimes thousands of years. Here in the West traditions such as resolutions, counting down the clock, New Year’s Eve parties, resolutions and resounding renditions of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ are the norm. In fact, much of the modern New Year’s traditions celebrated in the United States stem from the ancient Scottish tradition of Hogmany.

Hogmany stems from the ancient pagan festivals celebrating the changing seasons and the phases of the moon. It seems to combine both Roman and Druidic traditions of the winter solstice and may have originally run from the shortest day of the year to the beginning of the Pagan new year. Today, Hogmany runs from December 31 to January 1 or 2, depending on local custom.

The Scottish Reformation of the 1600s, that changed Roman Catholic Scotland to Calvinist Scotland, saw an end of superstitious and loose interpretations of religion such as the celebration of Christmas. Despite this Scottish version of the Protestant Reformation, the celebration of the new year was never thwarted even though sometimes, the celebrations, feasting and singing went underground.

It wasn’t until the 1960s that Scotland made December 25^th a national holiday. Until that time the winter celebrations were confined to the Hogmany festival. Even today, Hogmany is most often the time the Scots swap gifts, visit friends and take time off work to be with family.

The word ‘hogmany’ means night of the new year and comes from the Gaelic and involves a few customs that never crossed the pond.   In Scotland, new year’s parties often include a bonfire which may stem from ancient festivals where fire and the sun were worshipped across the highlands. Community sized parties rather than small social gatherings are also the norm in Scotland. Being the first to enter a house after the clock has struck midnight with a small token such as a lump of coal is meant to bring good luck.

The famous song Auld Lang Syne was rewritten from ancient sources by the famous poet Robert Burns in 1788 and has become the song of choice for Brits, Scots and Americans alike. It is a song celebrating friendship, kindness and good cheer and is sung when the clock strikes midnight. 

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Many new year celebrations came to America with the immigrants but many have grown around the advent of television. Watching the ball drop in Times Square is a new tradition that allows many modern Americans to bring in the new year from the comfort of their living rooms. Perhaps this year as we sing Auld Lang Syne and bring in the new year, we will remember how the celebration comes to us from times past connecting us to history as it propels us into the future.

Tags: American Immigrant, Auld Lang Syne, Calvinism, Celtic, Druid, history of new year's eve, Hogmany, New Year, new year's eve celebration, Pagan, poet robert burns, Protestant Reformation, Roman Catholic, Scottish Reformation, Times Square