Holidays
I've mentioned that this fall I was disoriented without college football on Saturdays. (I've since decided I'm over it completely and didn't even watch a bowl game.) And yeah, it's been a struggle to find markers of fall, and now winter, in Scotland. The weather got cooler faster (and summer was never really hot) and the leaves changed colors. Fall is a really beautiful season to visit anywhere I think. Now that winter is here, the rain is too. And there are the short days. But nothing has felt like anything. Not Halloween or Thanksgiving or Christmas. Mostly because those aren't holidays here. Still, it has been fun to holidays and seasons in new ways.
Halloween
The American version of Halloween is just beginning to catch on here. When kids start saying things like "candy" and "jack-o-lantern" parents know they've been watching American Youtubers. Jack-o-lanterns aren't really a thing, and candy is called "sweets." (Sidenote: you probably know that cookies are called biscuits, and I like to laugh that something called a ginger biscuit is considered a treat to a child in Scotland, because is there even sugar in that?) I think parents feel weird about the idea of their kids knocking on neighbors' doors and demanding sweets. Instead of "trick-or-treating" kids go "guising", telling a joke or something at the door.
In the absence of a Halloween picture, here's one of a cemetery in October.
Thanksgiving (Bonus: Veteran's Day)
Clearly an American holiday. However "harvest" is kind of a season here, and includes food donations and general thankfulness are often incorporated into church services and school assemblies and what-not. "Thanksgiving and remembrance" is also a theme tossed around at this time, as Remembrance Day is celebrated right around Veteran's Day. The emphasis here seems to be remembering the sacrifices and and devastation of war and doing our best to prevent it in the future. Poppies are worn as a symbol of remembrance.
Here is Craig refusing to give any of his Thanksgiving leftovers to this dog we were sitting:
Christmas
December 25 only became a public holiday in Scotland in 1958. In some ways it seems to be overshadowed by Boxing Day and New Years. But, without Halloween and Thanksgiving to provide a buffer, "Festive" season pretty much appears the moment fall arrives, in the form of decorations in the city center and a special "festive menu" at every restaurant. The question I was asked by Scots most often in December was: "I know Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving, so what do you eat at Christmas?" I feel like most recently my family would eat some sort of taco soup?? Maybe we used to make ham?? Did we order a pizza?? Here, you have turkey. And at every Christmas event leading up to the actual day, you have mince pies and mulled wine. Craig bought a Christmas "jumper" with this symbol on it. Do you know what it is? (Answer at bottom of post)
Picture: Festive!!! These decorations were literally up in October I think.
New Years Eve/Day
Hogmanay is Scots for last day of the year. And Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebration is epic. First a torchlight procession creates what looks like a river of fire down the Royal Mile, then there's a giant street party on NYE, then you can take a "Loony Dook" into the freezing firth (river) in Queensferry on January 1. There's also tons of fireworks. These people love their fireworks.
Honestly, we pretty much did the exact same thing we always do on these days, but they definitely felt different. No complaints though, because it was certainly a festive season. Looking forward to Burns Night this month, and discovering new seasons, holidays, & all sorts of weather this new year.
.
.
.
.
.
(Answer: Christmas pudding.)
Halloween
The American version of Halloween is just beginning to catch on here. When kids start saying things like "candy" and "jack-o-lantern" parents know they've been watching American Youtubers. Jack-o-lanterns aren't really a thing, and candy is called "sweets." (Sidenote: you probably know that cookies are called biscuits, and I like to laugh that something called a ginger biscuit is considered a treat to a child in Scotland, because is there even sugar in that?) I think parents feel weird about the idea of their kids knocking on neighbors' doors and demanding sweets. Instead of "trick-or-treating" kids go "guising", telling a joke or something at the door.
In the absence of a Halloween picture, here's one of a cemetery in October.
Thanksgiving (Bonus: Veteran's Day)
Clearly an American holiday. However "harvest" is kind of a season here, and includes food donations and general thankfulness are often incorporated into church services and school assemblies and what-not. "Thanksgiving and remembrance" is also a theme tossed around at this time, as Remembrance Day is celebrated right around Veteran's Day. The emphasis here seems to be remembering the sacrifices and and devastation of war and doing our best to prevent it in the future. Poppies are worn as a symbol of remembrance.
Here is Craig refusing to give any of his Thanksgiving leftovers to this dog we were sitting:
Christmas
December 25 only became a public holiday in Scotland in 1958. In some ways it seems to be overshadowed by Boxing Day and New Years. But, without Halloween and Thanksgiving to provide a buffer, "Festive" season pretty much appears the moment fall arrives, in the form of decorations in the city center and a special "festive menu" at every restaurant. The question I was asked by Scots most often in December was: "I know Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving, so what do you eat at Christmas?" I feel like most recently my family would eat some sort of taco soup?? Maybe we used to make ham?? Did we order a pizza?? Here, you have turkey. And at every Christmas event leading up to the actual day, you have mince pies and mulled wine. Craig bought a Christmas "jumper" with this symbol on it. Do you know what it is? (Answer at bottom of post)Picture: Festive!!! These decorations were literally up in October I think.
New Years Eve/Day
Hogmanay is Scots for last day of the year. And Edinburgh's Hogmanay celebration is epic. First a torchlight procession creates what looks like a river of fire down the Royal Mile, then there's a giant street party on NYE, then you can take a "Loony Dook" into the freezing firth (river) in Queensferry on January 1. There's also tons of fireworks. These people love their fireworks.
Honestly, we pretty much did the exact same thing we always do on these days, but they definitely felt different. No complaints though, because it was certainly a festive season. Looking forward to Burns Night this month, and discovering new seasons, holidays, & all sorts of weather this new year.
.
.
.
.
.
(Answer: Christmas pudding.)
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