New Year's Eve

Next: Thursday 31 December 2026

31 December, seen out with bells, first footing and, in the north, fire festivals.

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The year from Wednesday 20 January

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Folklore from the old calendars

A cake against the door on New Year’s Eve Lore and belief IrelandOn the last night of the year the head of each family in the south of Ireland threw a cake against the outside door.
A coffin or a ring in the ashes Lore and belief EnglandOn New Year's Eve the ashes on the hearth were sifted or smoothed and left untouched overnight.
A hearty compotation for the old year No longer kept EnglandOrdinary people took care to see the old year out well with a hearty bout of drinking, and to begin the new one well by sending New Year's gifts to friends and acquaintances.
Burying Old Tom No longer kept HerefordshireHerefordshire labourers had an extra drink or two on New Year's Eve and called it burying Old Tom.
Burying the old year in Guernsey No longer kept GuernseyIn Guernsey the children used to dress up a figure of a man on the last day of the year, parade it through the parish and then bury it on the seashore or in some quiet spot.
Hagman Heigh No longer kept YorkshireClarkson's History of Richmond, quoted in the Table Book, described the Hagman Heigh, kept in Yorkshire on New Year's Eve.
Kiss ’em and Sugar Toast No longer kept EnglandA Table Book correspondent described seeing the new year in at a village party.
Letting in the New Year Still kept Northern England, ScotlandOne of the most general customs of the last night of the year was to sit up until twelve o'clock, and then, when the hour had struck, go to the house door and unbar it with great formality, to let the old year out and the new year in.
New Year’s gifts on the eve at Kirkby Stephen No longer kept WestmorlandAt Kirkby Stephen the children went round begging their New Year's gifts on New Year's Eve rather than on the day itself.
Queen Mary’s men on New Year’s Eve in Orkney No longer kept OrkneyOn New Year's Eve in Orkney large bands of the common people used to go round the houses singing a song that began by calling themselves Queen Mary's men.
The fire kept in on New Year’s Eve Lore and belief Berwickshire, Dumfriesshire, Roxburghshire, SelkirkshireOn the Borders it was thought very unlucky to let the house fire go out on New Year's Eve, as on Hallowe'en, Midsummer Eve and Christmas Eve.
The ivy leaf in water Lore and belief EnglandLupton's book of Notable Things of 1660 gave a charm for the health of the coming year.
The lucky glass Lore and belief Northern EnglandThe last glass drained from the last bottle on New Year's Eve or Day was called the lucky glass and brought good fortune to whoever got it.
The man in the cow’s hide at the laird’s hall No longer kept Inner Hebrides, Outer HebridesOn New Year's Eve in the Hebrides one man put on a cow's hide and ran round the laird's house while the others beat the hide with sticks.
The Muncaster children’s New Year’s Eve ditty No longer kept CumberlandOn New Year's Eve the children of Muncaster went from house to house singing for a gift they said had been theirs since old King Edward's days.
The Richmond pinder’s Hagman song No longer kept YorkshireOn New Year's Eve old Master Craven, the pinder of the borough of Richmond, sang the last surviving verses of the Hagmena song.
The track in the ashes Lore and belief Isle of ManTrain's history of the Isle of Man recorded that on New Year's Eve, in many of the upland cottages, the housewife raked the fire for the night and then, just before bed, spread the ashes smooth over the floor with the tongs.
The wind on New Year’s Eve night Lore and belief Northern EnglandThe wind on New Year's Eve night foretold the coming year.
Twelve days’ weather from the last of December Lore and belief Highlands, PerthshireThe Highlanders read the coming year's weather from twelve days starting on the last day of December.

Folklore from the old calendars

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