Celebrating a Celtic Christmas 2013 - 2014

While a lot of of us rejoice modern 2012 – 2013 Christmas traditions of ornament Christmas trees and to come for Santa, the Celts celebrated the Winter Solstice. The Druids felt that the sun stood still for 12 days from Christmas Eve to January 6th. A Yule log was burned for glow on those days. Its well-cooked remains protected the house for the rest of the year. Mistletoe, a sign of fruitfulness, was hung in the home with other foliage as a sign of life in the gloom.

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The Scots believe that on Christmas Eve, a powerful fire keeps mischievous elves from coming down the chimney. On Christmas Day, public dance around bonfires while listening to bagpipes and enjoying oatmeal cake. The largest celebrations happen on Hogmanay, New Year's Eve. These engage "first footing", where the first person to set foot in a home in a New Year is said to bring either good quality or bad luck, depending on their hair color. The Night of Candles lights the way for the Holy family, first footers, and Mummers. Mummers dressed in masks and travelled from house to house for music and dancing. The home owners would have to guess who they were. On New Year's Eve, they would circle residences beating on the walls to drive out the old year while saying a extraordinary rhyme to demand entry for food & drink