This year NYE occurs on a Saturday, perfect a nice Sunday lie with a coffee to celebrate the start of another New Year!
Before we bring another year, let’s take a look at some New Year’s Eve of traditions.
A good old sing song!
We’ve all sung Auld Lang Syne Just before midnight on New Year’s Eve, right? But have you ever wondered why?
Auld Lang Syne was written by Scot Robert Burns and later put to music. Because the phrase translates in English as ‘old long since’ meaning ‘times gone by’ it is a fitting song for New Year’s Eve.
Here’s a reminder of the lyrics:
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And the days of auld lang syne?
(Chorus)
For auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne
We’ll drink a cup of kindness yet
For the sake of auld lang syne
And surely you will buy your cup
And surely I’ll buy mine!
We’ll take a cup of kindness yet
For the sake of auld lang syne
We two have paddled in the stream
From morning sun till night
The seas between us Lord and swell
Since the days of auld lang syne
First Footing
First Footing is a custom whereby at midnight on New Year’s Eve, a dark-haired person is the first visitor to call at your door usually bearing a piece of coal and or some bread.
This tradition is thought to date back to the Viking invasion of Britain when the arrival of a blond-haired person signified bad news!
Coal ensures the house will always be warm and bread so that you won’t go hungry, quite a nice sentiment really.
Making Resolutions
A New Year presents an opportunity for us to start over with a clean slate, and the chance to put things right, to change our paths, do things differently, set goals for ourselves.
Setting New Year’s resolutions is not a new tradition though, it’s been going on for thousands of years, in fact the Romans made promises to the god Janus at the beginning of each new year, hence the month was named January!
Today common resolutions include exercise more, losing weight, learning a new skill or hobby, living life to the fullest, saving more money (or spending less, quitting smoking, spend more time with family, travel more, read more – sound familiar?
Comfort Food
One of the New Year customs in our house includes food (no surprise there), and so my featured recipe, is for Tartiflette – my version!
Tartiflette is a dish from Savoy in the French Alps and from Aosta Valley. It is usually made with potatoes, reblochon cheese, lardons and onions. A splash of white wine can be added too. In my view it is the ultimate in easy comfort food and really simple to make.
Download my Tartiflette recipe here!
If you see a grey rainy day looming then pour yourself a glass of mulled wine, imagine yourself high up in the Alps on a beautiful sunny day surrounded by snow-capped mountains and with this dish in front of you…….you are there 🙂
Twelfth Night
According to Christian tradition, Twelfth Night marks the end of Christmas. In 2023, this will fall on 5th or 6th January and means it’s time to take down your decorations – otherwise superstition has it that you’ll have bad luck, and we don’t want that.
Happy New Year! See you soon.
Audrey
