New Year’s Eve in Great Britain

Part I

The first of January, New Year’s Day, is a big holiday in Scotland. People do not work that day, and children do not go to school. Scottish people celebrate New Year’s Eve with their families. Friends usually come to visit. They have a nice dinner. After dinner there are apples, other fruits, and different sweets to eat. Then the family and friends begin to play games and dance.

Before midnight, many people in towns go out into the streets to dance and sing Scottish songs. When the town clocks begin to strike twelve, people cross their arms, join hands, and sing the famous Scottish song “Auld Lang Syne.” It is about the old days and friendship between people. Robert Burns, Scotland’s great poet, wrote the words of this song, and the music is also Scottish.

Then people wish everyone a Happy New Year and go home to meet the first-footers. A first-footer is the first person who comes to a house on the first of January, New Year’s Day. Long ago, people believed that the first visitor to enter a house on New Year’s Day would bring good luck to the family if he was a friend. Today, the first-footer must be a man with dark hair, and he must bring a small piece of coal, some money, and a little bread. These things show that the family will be warm and will have food and money all year.

When the first-footer comes into a house, he wishes everyone a Happy New Year, talks to the family, eats and drinks something, and then goes to another house.

Part II

In England, on the first of January, people do not go to work, and children do not go to school, but New Year’s Day is not a big holiday. Many people go to bed before midnight on New Year’s Eve. But some families celebrate this evening at home. They organize a party or a dance for the young people in the family and for their friends.

At midnight, the young people go out into the streets and squares. In London, they go to Trafalgar Square. There they see a great tree brightly decorated with little lights. This big tree comes from Norway. The people of Norway send it every year to the people of England as a gift.

When the largest clock in London — Big Ben — begins to strike twelve, the people in the square join hands and sing “Auld Lang Syne.” The New Year has begun. A Happy New Year to all!