New Year is a great time to be in Britain as a whole, but an even better one in Scotland, for the festivities last twice as long thanks to the uniquely Scottish festival of Hogmanay.
While the final seconds of 2022 will be spent gazing upon TV pictures of Big Ben down in London before the first of the famous bongs heralds the start of January, the following seconds will feature a classic Scots song - Auld Lang Syne.
However, that is just the start. While most of the UK just has New Year’s Day off holiday, in Scotland the 2nd is a bank holiday too, to fit in all the wild celebrations of Hogmanay.
The term Hogmanay actually refers to New Year’s Eve, but the celebrations go on for days. The event has its roots in Viking traditions that began a celebration at the winter solstice and carried on through the final days of December. While Christmas may have taken the place of such pagan traditions, it has simply shifted the party to the changing of the year.
Some places have particular Hogmanay traditions, such as the Stonehaven Fireballs parade in Aberdeenshire, or the giant bonfire in the Lanarkshire town of Biggar.
While Stirling does not have any specific annual traditions like this, it is still going to be a fun place to be. You can party way into the night, enjoy a tasty breakfast in Stirling on New Year’s Day, then get back to the merriment knowing that the next day will still be one when you can take it easy.
Naturally, this might be a good time to enjoy a dram or two and some other Scottish drinks, although if you want to lay off the booze there is always the ‘other’ national drink of Scotland - Irn Bru.
January 2nd might be when some people have to return to ‘normal’ life, but in Scotland things are done differently. After all, while some may see January as a grim, dark month when the Christmas lights come down, it’s only another 23 more days until the next Scottish celebration - Burn’s Night.
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