It creeps up on us, aye, too fast,
Just as we feel time quicken when we grow in age...
We find ourselves here, upon the glittering brink of a brand New Year,
Our souls replete in wine, groaning with frittered promises and bold resolve.
The first-footer*** brings in dark, hewn coal, a crust, some semblance of light,
A shining coin, a wee dram, perhaps a bitter-sweet fruit piece...
Afore the stroke of twelve, he's waiting, patient, on the threshold of 'Oor Ain',
Tall and dark as tradition calls, and bitter-cold hands are fasted once more in warm embrace.
Homes filled anew with symbols of love and light, life and hearth, succour, warmth, shelter...
We sing our dreams, arms 'twined and seated full amid the tender spirits of Once Upon A Time...
*** From my sister Wiki, who graces my home once more this Old Year's Night, as we see in the New Year and bid farewell to the Old:
"In British folklore, the first-foot, also known in Manx Gaelic as quaaltagh or qualtagh, is the first person to cross the threshold of a home on New Year's Day, and a bringer of good fortune for the coming year.
Although it is acceptable in many places for the first-footer to be a resident of the house, they must not be in the house at the stroke of midnight in order to first-foot (thus going out of the house after midnight and then coming back in to the same house is not considered to be first-footing). The first-foot is traditionally a tall, dark-haired male; a female or fair-haired male are in some places regarded as unlucky.
The first-foot usually brings several gifts, including perhaps a coin, bread, salt, coal, or a drink (usually whisky), which respectively represent financial prosperity, food, flavour, warmth, and good cheer. In Scotland, first-footing has traditionally been more elaborate than in England, and involving subsequent entertainment".
May your New Year be filled with love and light, mes Bloggy Wassailers x
12 comments:
friends old and new, happy new year....and may hope, laughter and moments of happiness abound...
A tall, dark haired male would be good luck ;0! Ah well, I will have to face the fact there will be no such luck this year for me! Happy New year to you!
Happy New Year dear one!! Enjoyed meeting you this year and looking forward to 2010!
Hugs
SueAnn
Joy and good health, a fire to warm you when you are cold, a cool breeze to fan you in the summer. Food on your table and love in your home and enough in the bank to keep the wolf from the door. Is that all too much to ask?
Happy NEW YEAR!
Thank you my bloggy dear. I had never heard of first-footing before. In my case, I'm pretty sure that I'd put it in my mouth.
All the very best to you too in 2010! I love the idea of first footing...let's hope we'll be surprised! Best wishes, Hadriana xx
Fhina, my lovely one, I want to wish you a year when your back pain diminishes, the bad days at work get fewer and fewer, the family problems disappear completely and a year of your favourite bands appearing at a venue not too far away
love
Julie
x
tall, dark haired male would be good luck ;0! Ah well, I will have to face the fact there will be no such luck this year for me! Happy New year to you!
Work from home India
Happy New Year (and here's hoping your first-footer is extremely handsome!)
first class photos
and #1 poetry!
Happy new Year,
Dear!
Very traditional. Great. Happy new year.
happy New Year sweet Fhina and best wishes for you and yours for the coming year. Back home in Liverpool we always had a 'first footer' usually my dad and at midnight we'd stand outside to hear the horns bloowing on the boats in the Mersey. Here it's very quiet although the locals did let off some fireworks
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