Letting in the New Year

[ukelele lady]

When I was young there was a tradition of letting in the new year which doesn't happen anymore.

The person that let the new year in had to be darked haired , they were welomed into the home then they poked the open fire.

Our neighbours always sent for my brother who was the darkest haired, I was second choice.

You knocked on the door, mumbled a "happy new year happy new year, plenty of money and a cellar full of beer"

it went something like that. After that they welcomed you into there home gave you the poker to poke their fire

and insisted you had a sip of sherry, then you went back home with a handfull of coins.

The blondes never got a lookin. Why did you have to be dark haired and why the poking of the fire??

[RichardB]

I recall the "throwing in" of coins to bring prosperity for the New Year - that and slightly more than a "sip" of anything going lol

[ukelele lady]

I recall the "throwing in" of coins to bring prosperity for the New Year - that and slightly more than a "sip" of anything going

I was only ten at the time Richard but I have made up for it since then. :blink:

[SteveHB]

What about the placing of hot coke's on the neighbors door step,

something I had never encountered until a New Year visit to the mining village of Wales near Kiverton

[jmdee]

I thought the tradition was Scottish, and called, "first footing. The first visitor to visit a house after midnight into the new year, should be male, dark haired, carrying a piece of coal, and enter by the back door. Aftter partaking of the Scotch whisky, and a piece of shortbread he should then exit via the front door. (or vice versa). Works for me, I'm dark haired, have lots of coal, and love my Scotch with a dash of water. Couldn't care less about the shortbread though.