You live in the north if I remember correctly, so you might be familiar with the tradition of "first footing". On the stroke of the new year I was out in the street, pockets stuff with bread, salt, coal, a bottle of booze and a coin. Certainly one of the oddest starts I've had.
i have no idea what that is you're talking about, but it sounds infintely better than my catastrophically terrible new year. they are usually pretty poor, but this one takes the biscuit.
It's some British tradition that seems to only be observed in the North of England and Scotland. The first visitor to the house has to be a certain kind of person - in Yorkshire it's a tall man (in Scotland they have to have black hair), and they have to bring gifts - bread (for food), coal (for warmth), drink (for merriment), a coin (for wealth) and salt (for family or grounding or something). Then the fireworks started and the dog (who I took for a walk for some reason) practically shat herself. She's deaf, so that tells you how loud the fireworks are around here. Hope your new year gets better. :sunny:
