As already 10 months of the year have passed, people start to think about what they do on the last day of the year - New Year´s Eve. In Germany, there are some traditions, such as pouring a spoon of liquid lead into cold water in order to interprete the figures it creates (which is especially funny the more drinks people have had). There are also huge fireworks at midnight. How do you celebrate the beginning of a new year?
Here in Scotland we have a tradition known as "first footing". Basically, a "first foot" is the first person who crosses your front door after the new year. Traditionally (and there are many variations of this), the person should bring a piece of coal and a carrot or other vegetable. The piece of coal is for the fire and the carrot is for the soup which is traditionally cooked at new year. The first foot should can only be someone with dark hair and must be a man (sexist i know), anything else is considered bad luck. Nowadays most people bring a drink. Also, it is traditional to give the postman a "wee" drink for the new year. In Glasgow the ships on the river Clyde used to sound their horns and people would open their windows to hear the bells and the horns. And then we all get drunk!
