Show St. St Andrews Andrews' Day Touches off Scots' Scots New Year Doings The celebration ion of St. St Andrews Andrew's Day touches off oft a series of Scot Scot- Scottish Scottish Scottish tish celebrations that reach their peak at New Year and continue with little respite to Burns Burn's Day on the of January Few national festivals occasion more uni gusto over more moreo o of the worlds world's face From Houston to Hong Kong Scots of all vintages vintage dream of haggis heather high high- highlands highlands highlands lands and the skirl of bagpipes Indeed they spare no no effort to tomake tomake tomake make the dream dream come true The Illinois St. St Andrews Andrew's Society for lor instance have been known to fly in their supply of haggis and heather direct from Scotland and to have piped lit it all the way from rom the airport to the dinner ta ta- ta ble One of the most engaging cus cus- customs customs customs toms of is the ancient rite of shooting first in the wee sma hours of New Years Year's morn morn- ing A foot First is literally the first person outside the family to cross the threshold of the home after the clock has ushered the Old Year into history For the best of portents the visitor if a man should be dark and handsome if ifa ifa a woman she must be fair In either case the visitor should carry handsel which may be anything from an orange to a bot bot- bottle bottle bottle tle of whiskey You dont don't have to ask a Scot his preference but an handed empty-handed foot first will bring poverty and privation so even an orange is worthwhile Assuming that the handsel is in liquid form the head of the house horse takes the first drink and then passes the bottle round the family Thus fortified all attack the traditional fare round shortbread cake c a k e nipped round the edges to simulate the sun the Druids were responsible for this and Black Bun a su su- superior superior su- su superior sort of mince pie contain contain- containing containing containing ing fruits almonds spices and brandy What happens after this is your own responsibility but the Scots themselves ward off indigestion with music and dancing with a capital D Sometimes foot first ers appear as a mummer or a strolling player and the greater the number of footers first-footers the more honored is the household So nobody need be shy Those not to the tartan born may wonder why the Scots lay such stress on the New Year rath rath- rather er than Christmas To find the answer you have to flick back a page or two of history The Vikings probably started the Yuletide fes festivities festivities and the Christian reform reformers ers merely took it over and in invested vested it with the dignity of the Feast of the Nativity |