Are you excited for Christmas yet?

We don't have Christmas back in Monstonia, so I did some asking around, and it seems that each country has its own unique Christmas traditions.

My friend Kirsty has family from Scotland, and she says that Christmas was banned there for almost four centuries.

What?!

For that reason, New Year's Eve, also known as Hogmanay, is a very important celebration in the Scottish calendar.

On New Year's Eve, Scots do a thorough clean of the entire house, an activity known as redding, to encourage good luck.

Then, when the clock strikes midnight, it's time for first footing.

First footing involves going to the house of a friend or family member with the aim of being the first person to set foot in their house that year.

It's customary to bring gifts such as whiskey, shortbread, fruitcake, or coal.

In more modern times, a new tradition has emerged called the loony duke, where hardy Scots dive into the cold water of the Firth of Forth on the 1st of January.

Phew, that was actually quite difficult to say.

I hope you've enjoyed learning how they do things in Scotland.

Happy Christmas from everyone here at Webcertain. www.webcertain.co.uk