Happy New Year --or-- Hogmanay and First Footing

(Hat tip: Kim Rowe/via email) The Scots have become renowned the world over for the manner in which they celebrate the coming of a new year. Many may say that today the Scottish Hogmanay traditions are vanishing, but there are some areas of Scotland where even in these modern times, old traditions die hard!

The name "Hogmanay" is said to come from the Anglo-Saxon Haleg Monath (Holy Month), or the Gaelic oge maidne (New Morning). Whatever the origin of the name, it has remained in the conscience of the Scottish people for many centuries. Such was the importance of Hogmanay, it was once the custom in Scotland to give gifts on the first of January, and indeed until the 18th century the number of gifts given then far outshone those given at Christmas. It is only very recently that some parts of Scotland ended the practice of giving tokens to children, which themselves were called "hogmanays".

It's traditional in Scotland to go "first-footing" on Hogmanay, a wonderful excuse to go out visiting friends and partying all night. In all the traditions and customs of Hogmanay, one theme survives, that the new year must begin on a happy note, with a clean break from all that may have been bad in the old year. It is from this underlying theme that the most common of all Hogmanay traditions has its root, the new year resolution. Another but much later tradition is the singing of Auld Lang Syne, with the most popular variation written by Robert Burns in about 1793.

Certain things are essential to make your New Year go with a swing. The first person to cross the threshold at Hogmanay brings all the luck, good or bad, for the year ahead. And, to follow in tradition they have to fulfill certain criteria. He has to be male, tall, dark and handsome. He cannot be a doctor, minister or grave-digger (!) - oh, and your first footer cannot have eyebrows that meet in the middle! He must bring with him a piece of coal, and silver (used to be a sixpence). The reason for this is that the tall dark stranger brings luck into the house, the coal means warmth throughout the coming year and the silver means the household will not be short of money for that year. Being a First Footer is great because tradition dictates that the man can claim a kiss from every lady in the place!

Wishing a body a’ the best... Read More......

Liberal women are particularly venomous...

GOP USA, 10/28/2010 by Kay Daly - ....against conservative women. And they call conservative women the mean girls? ∴ Joy Behar calls Sharon Angle a bitch, on live daytime TV no less, and in the same breath demands that Sharon get sensitivity training. Liberal men are no better. however. Jerry Brown calls Meg Whitman a whore, half apologizes, clearly wonders what all the fuss is about and yet claims to be "sensitive to the women's agenda." Whatever that is. ∴ You know what really drives liberal women crazy? A conservative woman who is pregnant, married and happy. If looks could abort! Somehow, they believe we are lesser beings for embracing tradition, getting married, having children, having a career inside or outside of the home, but either way, not resenting every moment bitterly.

I have had less hysterical liberal women explain it to me. Apparently they really dislike conservative women because they truly believe that we are somehow traiitors -- that we despise our own gender. And they feel morally justified in doing whatever it takes to discredit a conservative woman.

For years I have been getting hate mail from liberals, but the most vicious stuff definitely originates from the gals. I have even been defriended on Facebook by one liberal gal because I said something nice about Sarah Palin. The horror!

Christine O'Donnell has been called every name in the book and unfortunately, it hasn't originated solely from the liberal wing.. There have been conservative naysayers as well who bent over backwards to try to make sure she lost the primary. And don't get confused here -- I am not a feminist. I don't believe for a moment that those who dislike(d) O'Donnell had some burr under their saddle that she was a female. She just wasn't part of the "vetted inner circle." Mike Castle was someone that the powers that be knew wouldn't rock the boat.

I think we can all agree that the boat needs some serious rocking.

The hatred is hardly reserved just for conservative female candidates, either. There is one conservative columnist who told me that she moved her entire family because the liberals had put her home address, phone number and even a picture of her home on a very public website. Pretty high price to pay for having a difference of opinion.

Just think for a moment if the tables were turned here. I can only imagine what would happen if Sharon called Joy a bitch and Meg called Jerry a whore. Can you imagine the hysteria on the left?

In some bizarre way, I am actually thrilled that this is happening out in the public eye because it has gone on unchecked for years. Now you all can see in living color what outspoken conservative women have gone through for years out of the viewfinder of the camera lens and just out of earshot of a microphone. It has only served to make most conservative women hone their skills, toughen up and be determined to stand on principle, no matter what the cost.
Like it or not, my liberal sisters, it is definitely the year of the conservative woman. And as Ronald Reagan used to say, "You ain't seen nothin' yet."

Related:
Malkin: Standing Tall - The Rise and Resilience of Conservative Women

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