We all have our own family Christmas traditions which have usually been passed from generation to generation. Over the years these may have been modernised a bit or sadly in some cases traditions have been forgotten or thought no longer appropriate. Here we are going to have a look at some Scottish Christmas Traditions and their origins, as well as how they have changed over the years.
Public Holidays
The majority of people have always known Christmas and Boxing Day to be Public Holidays when most if not all shops are shut and the buses and trains are all off. However Christmas Day only became a Public Holiday in 1958. Boxing Day wasn't recognised as a Public Holiday until 1974.
Good Luck Trinket In Food
We all probably have heard at some point of putting a coin or trinket in a Christmas Pudding or Clootie Dumpling, and the lucky person who finds it is to have good luck for the next year. Prior to the Christmas Pudding or Dumpling being used, Scots would make Yule Bread. A Yule Bread was made for each member of the family and a coin or trinket would be put into one of them. The lucky person who found the trinket or coin was again guaranteed good luck for the next year. A Yule Bread was an unleavened loaf which had Caraway Seeds in it and was shaped into a round plait, symbolising the Sun.
Yule Log
Most of us think of a Chocolate Cake which is shaped like a log, when Yule Logs are mentioned. Historically the Yule Log was a large log which would be placed on fires to burn all day. This helped decrease the amount of work needed on Christmas Day. The Vikings and Pagans would use the embers from the previous fire to light the Yule Log this would bring good luck to all who sat around the fire. The Celts would also burn a log but theirs had the face of an old woman known as the Hag of Winter carved into it. By burning the log they believed they were banishing the long dark nights as well as any lingering bad luck.
Mistletoe
The origins of the traditions of decorating with Mistletoe at Christmas lead back to Pagans who would use the plant to bring some life into the homes in the darkest part of winter.
Kissing under the Mistletoe is said to be attributed to death of a Norse God called Frigg, his mother had cast a spell that nothing grown on earth could harm her son, but Mistletoe doesn't grow from the earth it grows from the tree. When another God, Loki discovered this he made a spear of Mistletoe and killed Frigg. When Frigg's mother found out she promised to kiss anyone she ever met under Mistletoe as a symbol of her love for her son.
Sweetie Scone Day
This was traditionally the name given to Boxing Day. In the day when those of wealth had servants, the servants were normally given the day after Christmas Day off as a thank you for working so hard on Christmas Day. This allowed the staff to visit their families. Many employers would present their staff with a box of goodies to take home with them and share with their families. Sometimes including sweet treats among them Sweet Scones.
Santa
Traditionally Father Christmas, also known as Santa Claus, known all around the world, is simply known as Santa by Scottish children. A wonderfully cheerful old man who visits good children once a year giving them toys and leaving those who dont behave a lump of coal.
The Christmas Tree
Like the rest of the UK, Christmas Tree's didn't become a Christmas Tradition until Victorian Times, when Prince Albert's love of the German Tradition was depicted on a Christmas Card. This saw the popularity of the decorated tree inside the home soar. Over the years the way of decorating the tree has varied, now we use electric lights whereas in Victorian times it was candles that were used. We normally buy any ornaments, tinsel etc for the trees whereas, at various times in the past, decorations were made - especially paper chains which could be made of fabric, paper, newspaper etc.
First Footing
Of course we all think of First Footing as a Hogmanay / New Year tradition, where in fact in Scotland it was a Christmas Tradition. First Footing was a representation of Mary and Joseph seeking a place for Mary to have her child. Then as now, a First Footer who arrived with money, bread, or black bun as well as coal or peat, would bring good luck to the household as well as wealth and warmth.
Candles In The Window
Lit candles were and sometimes still are placed in windows to guide the way for the Holy Family on Christmas Eve and for First Footers on Hogmanay. This was originally called Oidhche Choinnle in Gaelic.