Celebrate in style!
Scotland is famous the world over for its big celebrations on Hogmanay and there are some really spectacular and unusual ways to welcome the New Year.
Stonehaven Fireballs
31 December
Aberdeenshire
The coastal town of Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire heralds the New Year with a fiery display on Hogmanay with the annual fireballs procession (pictured).
On the stroke of midnight a procession of fireball swingers led by a pipe band set off from the Mercat Cross swinging the blazing fireballs around their heads and body in an amazing display of skill.
Each fireball is a round cage of wire netting about two feet in circumference, which is packed with all sorts of flammable material soaked in paraffin to ensure a fiery display. Attached to a five foot length of wire and weighing up to 20 pounds swinging them around is no mean feat.
The procession makes its way down the High Street to the town's harbour where the still burning fireballs are tossed into the sea. The exact origins of the festival are unclear but it is believed to date from Pagan times and relate to urging on the passing of winter or warding off evil spirits.
Comrie Flambeaux
31 December
Perthshire
The village of Comrie in Perthshire also hosts a fire ceremony to mark the coming of the New Year and it too is thought to have its origins in Pagan times warding off the bad spirits of the past year.
At midnight eight flambeaux - burning torches - are lit in the village square before a pipe band leads a procession through the village, which culminates in the blazing flambeaux being thrown into the River Earn.
Hundreds of people gather to watch the procession and there is also a fancy dress parade for participants with children being judged earlier in the evening and adults during the procession itself.
Kirkwall Ba'
New Year's Day & Christmas Day
Orkney
The New Year celebrations in Kirkwall are not for the faint hearted as a rough and ready game of street football sees the town's menfolk battle it out cheered on by big crowds.
The Kirkwall Ba' is held on both New Year's Day and Christmas Day every year when the Uppies and Doonies give their all to wrestle the ball from their opponents and win the day.
Uppies - those born south of the cathedral - and Doonies - those from the north side of the cathedral - have to score a "goal" - the Uppies aiming to get the ball up against a wall in the south of the town and the Doonies hoping to put the ball into the harbour at the north.
The game begins at one o'clock at the Mercat Cross in front of the cathedral when the ball is tossed into the crowd and a massive scrum grows around the player with the ball while the rest of the participants try to push, pull and heave towards their goal.
The ba' often lasts until early evening before a victor emerges and a player from the winning side takes home the specially made leather ball to take pride of place on the mantelpiece.
Burning of the Clavie
11 January
Burghead
Moray
New Year celebrations in the Moray village of Burghead take place with their unique fire ceremony just when the rest of us think the partying is all over for another year. The Burning of the Clavie takes place each 11 January, which was the New Year until the Georgian calendar was introduced in the 1750s meaning 11 days were lost from the year.
The clavie, Gaelic for basket, is a barrel atop a pole constructed so it can be carried by members of the Clavie Crew, a squad of local men who are given the honour of taking the clavie through the village and are usually wearing clothes bearing the scorch marks of previous years.
As they pass through the village smouldering embers from the clavie are given to householders as tokens of good luck for the coming year. Once they have toured the village the Clavie Crew head to Doorie Hill, site of an ancient Pictish fort, where the clavie is completely burned out.
Ashes and embers are collected and distributed to friends and family for good luck and the Clavie Crew retrieve the pole which they then take first footing around houses in the village to enjoy a dram or two.
~ Lorraine Wakefield
(27/11/2003)
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