When blizzards roar and winter holds the land in an icy grip, men band together around a fire. This is the time to honor the world of dreams and visions and tell tales of demons and spirits. The darkness of long winter nights prepares us to return to the light and to the promise of new beginnings. Nelson Mandela said, “Part of being optimistic is keeping one’s head pointed toward the sun.”
The Scottish New Year’s, or Hogmanay, probably has its roots in ancient winter solstice festivities among the Norsemen. Hoggo-nott was the Scandinavian word for a winter feast. The Flemish words hoog min dag meant ‘great love day’ and could have come into the Scots language. The custom of the First Foot is supposed to set the household’s luck for the rest of the year. At midnight, the first person to cross the threshold and hand out gifts is the first footer and should be a tall dark-haired man. This is a throwback to Viking days when blond strangers arriving on your doorstep meant trouble. Most customs center around food, drink and story telling.
Fire balls made of chicken wire stuffed with rags or paper are swung on long poles by the revelers as they march through town on December 31st. Again, this tradition probably originated with the Norse winter solstice, when men dressed in animal hides and tossed blazing torches into the air to ward off evil spirits.
Rebel Traveler: On December 31, 2010, Dan Fields and his friends sit around a roaring fire making music and telling stories. Each throws a symbolic item from the past into the fire.
Dan tossed his Rebel jacket onto the flames. ‘I’m done with that war,’ he shouted. …. Maggie was the last to approach the bonfire. She held Dillon’s blue ball cap. ‘This belonged to an evil man. May he vanish with the old year.’ (Pages 220-221)
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