Show Giving Gift-Giving Is Old Custom in Scotland New Years Year's day is more generally celebrated as a day for gift giving than is Christmas in Scotland A family together get-together on the eve of the New Year was quite a ceremony ceremony cere cere- mony in old Scotland There would be the preparation of the hot pint a kettle ettle filled with warm spiced ale At the stroke of 12 each member member mem mem- ber of the family would take a drink of the hot pint and there would be bea a general round of handshakes and good wishes rrt After good wishes and drinks had been passed around the family elders elders eld eld- eld ers would take up the kettle and go out to visit the neighbors to offer them sips from the kettle I If they were the first to step into the house of a neighbor it was deemed very important that they not come handed empty-handed but with their hands well full signifying the full year that lay ahead of ot the houses house's occupants |