Scotland
In some parts of Scotland, he who first opens the door on Yule Day expects to prosper more than any other member of the family during the future year because, as the vulgar express it, “He lets in yule.” On opening the door, it is customary with some to place in the doorway a table or chair covered with a clean cloth; and, according to their own language, to “set on it bread and cheese to yule.” Early in the morning, as soon as any one of the family gets out of bed, a new besom is set behind the outer door, the design being to “let in yule.” These superstitions, in which yule is not only personified, but treated as a deity, are evidently of heathen origin. It is common also to have a table covered in the house, from morning until evening, with bread and drink upon it, that every one who calls may take a portion, and it is considered particularly inauspicious if any one comes into a house and leaves it without doing so. Whatever number of persons call on this day, all must partake of the good cheer.—Med. Ævi Kalend. vol. i. p. 48; see Jamieson, Etymol. Dict., Art. Yule.
Any servant who is supposed to have a due regard to the interests of the family, and is not at the same time emancipated from the yoke of superstition, is careful to go early to the well on Christmas morning to draw water, pull the corn out of the sack, and also to bring kale from the kitchen garden. This is intended to insure prosperity to the family (Ibid. p. 99). It is in fact the same as the Usque Cashrichd, which was noticed among the superstitious customs of the first of January.—See p. 17.
The doings of the guisards (that is, masquers), says Chambers (Pop. Rhymes, 1870, p. 169), form a conspicuous feature in the New Year proceedings throughout Scotland. The evenings on which these personages are understood to be privileged to appear, are those of Christmas, Hogmanay, New Year’s Day, and Handsel Monday. Dressed up in quaint and fantastic attire, they sing a selection of songs which have been practised by them some weeks before. There were important doings, however, one of a theatrical character. There is one rude and grotesque drama (called Galatian) which they are accustomed to perform on each of the four above-mentioned nights, and which in various fragments or versions exists in every part of Lowland Scotland. The performers, who are never less than three, but sometimes as many as six, having dressed themselves, proceed in a band from house to house, generally contenting themselves with the kitchen for an arena, whither in mansions, presided over by the spirit of good humour, the whole family will resort to witness the scene of mirth.—See Chambers’ Pop. Rhymes, p. 170.
Angus-shire
At Christmas and the New Year, the opulent burghers begin to feast with their friends, and go a round of visits, which takes up the space of many weeks. Upon such occasions the gravest is expected to be merry, and to join in a cheerful song.—Sinclair, Stat. Acc. of Scotland, 1793, vol. v. p. 48.
Forfarshire
From the same authority we learn that, in the parish of Kirkden, on Christmas Day, the servant is free from his master, and goes about visiting his friends and acquaintances. The poorest man must have beef or mutton on the table, and what they call a dinner with their friends. They amuse themselves with various diversions, particularly with shooting for prizes, called here wad-shooting, and many do but little business all the Christmas week.—Ibid. vol. ii. p. 509.
Aberdeenshire
Christmas morn is welcomed at St. Fergus by liberal libations of drinking-sowins, or, as they are called by the old people, knotting-sowins; and by the gathering of friends and neighbours around the social hearth. That the humblest householder in the parish may have his Christmas cakes, a distribution of meal, the gift of a benevolent individual, is annually made by the kirk-session on Christmas Day, to the poor on the roll.—Stat. Acc. of Scotland, 1845, vol. xii. p. 198.
In certain parts also of the county of Aberdeen, the custom of not working during the three days of Christmas (Old Style) is still kept up. Straw, termed “yule straw,” is gathered beforehand, and everything needed for food and fuel prepared in a similar way, so that the festival may be kept in peace.—N. & Q. 3rd S. vol. ii. p. 483.
Banffshire
In the account of Keith, given in the Stat. Acc. of Scotland (1793, vol. v. p. 428), the inhabitants are said to have no pastimes or holidays except dancing on Christmas and New Year’s Day.
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Fuller, in his History of Berwick upon Tweed (1799, p. 446), alluding to the customs of that place, says, there are four men called town waits, who belong to the borough. Their business is to walk before the mayor, recorder, and justices, playing on violins, all the way to and from church on Christmas Day, the day of the election of a mayor, and November the 5th. They also are obliged to attend these gentlemen at their four public dinners.
The Highlands
As soon as the brightening glow of the eastern sky warns the anxious housemaid of the approach of Christmas Day, she rises, full of anxiety, at the prospect of her morning labours. The meal, which was steeped in the sowans-bowie a fortnight ago to make the Prechdacdan sour or sour scones, is the first object of her attention. The gridiron is put on the fire, and the sour scones are soon followed by hard cakes, soft cakes, buttered cakes, bannocks, and pannich perm. The baking being once over, the sowans pot succeeds the gridiron, full of new sowans, which are to be given to the family, agreeably to custom, this day in their beds. The sowans are boiled into the consistence of molasses, when the lagan-le-vrich or yeast-bread, to distinguish it from boiled sowans, is ready. It is then poured into as many bickers as there are individuals to partake of it, and presently served to the whole, both old and young. As soon as each despatches his bicker, he jumps out of bed—the elder branches to examine the ominous signs of the day, and the younger to enter on its amusements. Flocking to the swing, a favourite amusement on this occasion, the youngest of the family gets the first “shouder,” and the next oldest to him in regular succession. In order to add more to the spirit of the exercise, it is a common practice with the person in the swing and the person appointed to swing him to enter into a very warm and humorous altercation. As the swinged person approaches the swinger, he exclaims, “Ei mi tu chal,” “I’ll eat your kail.” To this the swinger replies, with a violent shove, “Cha ni u mu chal,” “You shan’t eat my kail.” These threats and repulses are sometimes carried to such a height as to break down or capsize the threatener, which generally puts an end to the quarrel.
As the day advances those minor amusements are terminated at the report of the gun or the rattle of the ball clubs—the gun inviting the marksman to the “kiavamuchd,” or prize shooting, and the latter to “Luchd-vouil,” or the ball combatants—both the principal sports of the day. Tired at length of the active amusements of the field, they exchange them for the substantial entertainment of the table. Groaning under the “Sonsy-haggis” and many other savoury dainties unseen for twelve months before, the relish communicated to the company by the appearance of the festive board is more easily conceived than described. The dinner once despatched, the flowing bowl succeeds and the sparkling glass flies to and fro like a weaver’s shuttle. The rest of the day is spent in dancing and games.—Grant, Popular Superstitions of the Highlands.
Orkney
A writer in the Stat. Acc. of Scotland (1845, vol. xv. p. 127), speaking of Westray, says:—One custom in this parish and common to Orkney at large, is that of allowing the servants four or five days’ liberty at Christmas to enjoy themselves, only the most necessary part of domestic work, with due attention to the bestial on the farm, is done on these days. The master of the house has also to keep up a well-furnished table for all his servants at this season.