Video: Christmas and New Year celebrations in Scotland

New Year swimmers in front of the Forth Rail Bridge during the annual Loony Dook Swim in the River Forth. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Imagesplaceholder image
New Year swimmers in front of the Forth Rail Bridge during the annual Loony Dook Swim in the River Forth. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

From Auld Lang Syne to the Loony Dook, Scotland is the home of Hogmanay.

However, for such a historic country, one which has so many New Year traditions, its relationship with Christmas is more discordant.

Until Reformation in 1560 Christmas was a day of religious feasting before celebrating the day was illegal between 1640 and 1686.

New Year swimmers in front of the Forth Rail Bridge during the annual Loony Dook Swim in the River Forth. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Imagesplaceholder image
New Year swimmers in front of the Forth Rail Bridge during the annual Loony Dook Swim in the River Forth. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

It wasn’t until 1958 that it was declared a public holiday with Boxing Day following 16 years later.

Yet, throughout Scotland towns and villages have had their own New Year traditions going back generations and centuries, continuing until this day, such as the Burning of the Clavie in Burghead.

Dare to be Honest
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