p in light till twelve p.m., and if it went out before it was
regarded as a bad omen for the next year; and what of it was left
unconsumed at twelve o'clock was carefully laid past, to be used at the
dead wake of the heads of the family.

Now, let us compare with this the practices current at Hogmanay (31st
December), and New Year's Day, about the commencement of this century.
In doing so, I will pass over without notice many superstitious
observances which, though curious and interesting, belong rather to the
general fund of superstitious belief than to the special festival at New
Year, and confine myself to those which were peculiar to the time. In my
grandfather's house, between sixty and seventy years ago, on the 31st
December (_Hogmanay_), all household work was stopped, rock emptied,
yarn reeled and _hanked_, and wheel and reel put into an outhouse. The
house itself was white-washed and cleaned. A block of wood or large
piece of coal was put on the fire about ten p.m., so that it would be
burning briskly before the household retired to bed. The last thing done
by those who possessed a cow or horse was to visit the byre or stable,
and I have been told that it was the practice with some, twenty years
before my recollection, to say the Lord's Prayer during this visit.
After rising on New Year's Day, the first care of those who possessed
cattle was to visit the byre or stable, and with their own hands give
the animals a feed. Burns followed this habit, and refers to it in one
of his poems:--

"A gude New Year I wish thee, Maggy,
Hae, there's a rip to thy auld baggie."

The following was the practice in my father's house in Partick, between
fifty and sixty years ago, on New Year's day:--On _Hogmanay_ evening,
children were all washed before going to bed. An oat bannock was baked
for each child: it was nipped round the edge, had a hole in the centre,
and was flavoured with carvey (carroway) seed. Great care was taken that
none of these bannocks should break in the firing, as such an occurrence
was regarded as a very unlucky omen for the child whose bannock was
thus damaged. It denoted illness or death during the year. Parents sat
up till about half-past eleven, when the fire was covered, and every
particle of ash swept up and carried out of the house. All retired to
bed before twelve o'clock, as it was unlucky not to be in bed as the New
Year came in. A watchful eye was kept on the fire lest it should go out,