Author name: Ruth Blair

Our church had White Sunday where parcels were wrapped in white paper and brought to the church. When my mother was a child these parcels were gifts for children. You had to write the gender and age of the child on the outside. Sometime in my childhood they changed it to imperishable food stuffs. They were then disbursed throughout the community for people in need.

My mother and I were involved in church Christmas Bazaars which made money for local charities and families in need. One year a family was adopted by the church and all money raised helped them to have a warm and happy Christmas.

In my family the Salvation Army, or Sally Anne as we call them, has always been a Christmas charity. We always leave donations in the collection pots and send donations at the beginning of December.

©2010 – Blair Archival Research

My father told me that his Scottish family never really celebrated Christmas until the twentieth century. Hogmanay or New Year Day was their big celebration.

My Grandmother would go all out for Hogmanay. The house had to be cleaned from top to bottom so that you had a clean house for the New Year. I still hold to this tradition.

I remember many New Year Day parties. There was a buffet and in the early years a poached salmon was the centre piece of the table. Grandpa had a special taste for smoked oysters so they were included as well. These parties started out large and included friends and family. When my Grandpa retired the parties became a smaller family gathering.

My Grandmother would meet the first visitor to the house in the New Year at the door. The first person over the doorstep in the New Year had to be a gentleman who had dark hair but before he could come in he would be handed a piece of coal, a potato and an oatcake. These were handed back to my Grandmother when he entered the house. The dark hair gentleman brought good luck, the coal warmth, the potato and oatcake food and abundance. I can remember people standing on the door step waiting for a dark haired gentleman so that we could go in the house. It was a strict rule.

In the 1940s my Grandmother’s father visited at New Year and brought them a piece of coal. This was the piece of coal that was handed to the first male entering the house for over 50 Hogmanay celebrations. When my Grandmother left her home in the late 1990s to move in with my Aunt she was insistent that the piece of coal go with her and not be packed up in a box.

©2010 – Blair Archival Research

My favourite Christmas gift to give is my baked goods. They always seem to get a good reception. It started small with cookies and then moved on to chocolates of all kinds.

One year Christmas cakes were the gift of choice. They were covered with marzipan and rolled fondant with decorations on top. Some of the decorations were made with fondant and some were plastic. Another year it was gingerbread houses with the insides filled with chocolates.

My Irish Grandmother gave me two pieces of Royal Doulton called “The Bride” and “The Bridesmaid.” They had been given them as a wedding present and hold special memories.

©2010 – Blair Archival Research