Folklore of Scotland

1 January

Folklore from the old calendars

Dancing at the stone of North Ronaldsay No longer kept OrkneyThe Statistical Account of Scotland described a great upright stone, some nine or ten feet high and four feet broad, standing in a plain on the Orkney island of North Ronaldsay.
First-footing in Edinburgh Still kept Midlothian, ScotlandIn Scotland the new year was let in at midnight with a hot pint of spiced ale and spirits, carried from house to house in a kettle.
Juniper before the cattle at New Year near Dingwall No longer kept Highlands, Ross and CromartyOn New Year's Day the Highlanders round Dingwall burnt juniper before their cattle.
Juniper Smoke and the Dead and Living Ford No longer kept HighlandsHone gives an account from Stewart's Popular Superstitions of the Highlands of how the Strathdown Highlander let in the new year.
Oidhche Choille, the night of the trees Lore and belief BanffshireOn the first night of January the people of Kirkmichael watched the wind with anxious attention, reading from it the weather for the whole year to come.
The Falkirk Guisards No longer kept StirlingshireIn the Daft Days around the new year, bands of guisards went from house to house in Falkirk acting a short play in which Galgacus, the Caledonian chief, fights and kills Jack, a doctor haggles over his fee and raises him, and Judas comes round with the bag for money.
The royal well at New-year-field Lore and belief West LothianNear the house of Livingston stood the farm of New-year-field, where tradition held the Scottish kings had a hunting seat while they stayed at Linlithgow.

Folklore of Scotland

1 January

the first Monday on or after 2 January

the first Monday on or after 1 January

6 January

9 January, not tied to the day

11 January

13 January

19 January, not tied to the day

26 January

29 January

30 January, not tied to the day

31 January

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