Congratulations, you've made it through Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Kwanza, Christmas, Boxing Day, and the Winter Solstice. What could possibly be next? Did you forget about New Year's Eve celebrations? If you have the energy for going out, then you might find it easier to stick to the same theme as last year. Attend a party with lots of champagne that's over by 1 a.m. How about shaking things up and doing something new and fresh?

     Yes?

     Fantastic. My suggestion is to go to Scotland for Hogmanay! Obviously, it's too late to get there this year, but if you start saving now, you could be ready for a novel experience next year.

     By the way, I don't want to hear about the cold weather as an excuse not to go. The upside to the chill is that there will still be plenty of kilted men walking around to keep things toasty.

     Hogmanay isn't merely a different way of celebrating New Year's Eve; there's a unique background to go with the specific name that also helps shape how the Scots celebrate. The festivities are solidly rooted in an amalgamation of Norse, Viking, Gaelic and Roman winter festivals. Common themes run through all these early cultures' special events, but there's one that links all of them to each other and the contemporary approach to the bash. It is fire and how it represents both death and renewal, and it sits at the heart of this holiday.

     One of the best parts of celebrating the dawning of a new year in Scotland is that it doesn't matter where you choose to participate. Parties take place in homes, small villages or large cities such as Edinburgh and Glasgow. People gather to release the pent-up strain of the past year, casting it out and making room for whatever the new one will bring.

     Once the sun has set and the air turns seriously chilly, everyone bundles up and heads off to their preferred party location. Music is played, people dance and sing along. Whether at a street party or at home, everyone is ready to break loose and let the festivities commence. Hearty stews, wine and sweets are consumed while the energy continues to ramp up in anticipation for the real party to begin.

     That's right, what makes this holiday so special in Scotland happens later.

     As midnight looms, the bagpipes start up with Auld Lang Syne, credited to Scottish poet Robert Burns, and sung by all. The song, with its universal appeal, has been adopted by people around the world as a way to bid a fond farewell to the old and welcome the new with open arms. Kiss your friends, hug strangers, and shake the hand of your enemy, all while sharing toasts with whisky. Fireworks explode and balls of fire are tossed into the chilly night air, well into the wee hours of the morning.

     And now the real party begins with first-footing!

     First-footing takes place in Scotland and some places in northern England. It is a custom that has been around for a long time. Roots of this tradition go as back as Viking invasions and have changed little since then. How it works is that the first person to enter a home after midnight should be male with dark hair who carries tokens to assure good luck for the residents. A lump of coal, whisky and an oat cake are the most common gifts to offer and in return, uisge beatha, water of life (whiskey), and food are shared.

     Sound fun? It is because throughout the night, as long as the chilled limbs can move, and one more dram can be shared, first-footing continues, house to house, party to party.

     While Hogmanay is for friends, New Years day, or Ne'erday, is for family.

   
      Neither hangover nor exhaustion excuses anyone from carrying on with the festivities. First-footing continues with visiting friends and relatives, immediate and extended. Each of these stops should be viewed as a mini-party. A token of good luck is offered, food and drink is shared and everyone is merry. The visits continue for days, depending on which day of the week Ne'erday falls on.

     At a time when it's easier to cast the old ways aside, I'm happy to find one culture that embraces traditions. The Scots have accomplished this with Hogmanay and Ne'erday. They've melded the ancient and modern customs together, thereby making the holiday stronger and more meaningful, all while maintaining ties to their history.

Tilly Greene is the author of RIDE 'EM, an erotic romance published by Ellora's Cave.