Hogmanay!

Hogmanay is the Scots word for New Year’s Eve, and big celebrations and long-standing traditions are common from big cities to small villages.  The Highland Club hosted a fabulously festive party in the Great Hall, complete with a band and lots of snacks!  The kids (G, L, Ai–, and Ab–) saved a table for all of us by the door, which was perfect, as Richard and Katie’s apartment was right on the other side, so the kids could come and go, while we all hung out visiting and listening to the music.

     

The kids had a good time eating snacks, doing a little dancing, and then took a break mid-way through to watch a bit of the 7th Harry Potter, Part 2, which was on tv.

  

Once the band was going to start the ceilidh (traditional Scottish) dancing, we went and got the kids. The dancing was so much fun!  The band tried to instruct people on what to do, but it was a bit crazy!  Richard and Katie were good about directing our little group of the two of them, me, and G, L, and Ab–.

  

Just before midnight, we stopped dancing, so we could do the countdown to midnight. Once we cheered and toasted the new year, we all joined hands in a circle and sang “Auld Lang Syne.” (Our circle expanded to also include a family from South Africa who Mike met at the whiskey tasting, previously mentioned in another post.)

After singing, and decorating Mike with the string from the party poppers, we went outside to see a few fireworks from the Lovat Hotel (on top the top of a hill) and a few from the village.  L got a sparkler from some nice people outside, who asked if he wanted one. 🙂

 

All in all, it was a wonderful night celebrating a new year with new friends!!