“In your youth, you look forward to the New Year with fearless enthusiasm; in middle age, no matter what, you hope the next year will be better and in old age, you ‘gird your loins’ and mutter, “Bring it on!” - Peter McSporran
Well, that is Christmas past; we had a wonderful time hosted by our friends, the Tideys. We even played Christmas games; what you get up to in your old age is amazing. We could only share Christmas with our children via the internet, no doubt like many ex-Zimbabweans. Rozanne’s mum, Shirley, who still lives in Zim, was also hosted by friends, someone many will know in Zimbabwe, Jenny Lovell, owner of Premier Travel. Jenny has been a dear and helpful friend to the Cary family for many years. We are so lucky so many Zimbabweans take time for the elderly left in Zimbabwe without their families. Many of those who remain have no choice, while some, like my mother-in-law, want to pass their old age in familiar surroundings and to be truthful with like-minded people. Rozanne and her brother Rob and sister Lorraine very much rely on the good offices of Deirdre Adams, assisted by Nicky Ziel, to keep an eye on her health and welfare. It is much appreciated.
The messages and posts on social media clearly show Christmas is still a very important time for most, even for non-Christians. In the old days, the Scots would have the ‘gathering of the clans’; Christmas is not so much about religion any more; it is more about, and so significantly, the ‘gathering of the families.’ Even if unable to be together, most families meet face-to-face on the internet, which allows you a visual sharing of both family and their homes. About virtually as close as you can get. A shepherdess in a remote part of Scotland posted this week that all of her friends are on her phone; sadly, for many, this is true.
“The sad truth is that many people treat virtual acquaintances online as friends. While it relieves much loneliness, it cannot replace full physical face-to-face interactions. Despite this, a friend is a friend.” - Peter McSporran
Christmas Day was not a holiday in Scotland for the first ten years of my life. Nor do I think it was New Year's Day, although I remember well on Mull it was only the essential workers, stockmen, who made it to work on that day. I can still remember the antics of Andy McFarlane, who was not the senior cattleman but who insisted on coming on New Year's Day to feed the housed cattle on the home farm and milk the dairy shorthorn cows for us. We shared the milk with the farm workers, but these cows' primary role was to be nurse cows to the pedigree bull calves. This is something that would be unacceptable in these days of cow and calf performance recording despite calves having access to high-value creep foods.
Question: As an ex-farmer and cattle judge, I have wondered about the reliability of a cow's performance through its calves when they have access to creep food from an early age?
I also remember the locals used to say whatever the weather on New Year's Day, it would remain for forty days. This was only half true. On Mull, if it was a clear frosty morning, we would be lucky to get one or two days before the rain set in, while if it was raining, the wet days could extend beyond the forty.
New Year was a serious event for adults in Scotland, while Christmas was reserved for children. New Year would start on New Year's Eve; Hogmanay, with parties up to midnight or family gatherings, after which, if you were at home, as we always were, you could expect the first footers to arrive after midnight.
Once we got television, we would watch Andy Stewart bring in the New Year on our snowy black and white sets. Our TV aerial was placed on the hill behind the house to obtain this poor picture. How times have changed? We could at least hear the Big Ben chimes on it and knew it was New Year when all singing replaced Andy’s voice, ‘Auld Lang Syne.’
It was meant to be good luck if your first visitor was tall and dark, and as luck would have it, Johnny McRae, one of our shepherds, who was dark-haired and exceeded six feet, was always our first footer. When you went first footing, you were also meant to bring a piece of cake representing food, a piece of coal, heat, and a bottle of whiskey representing good fellowship to share. Johnny and his wife, whom I always called Mrs McRae as a child, always drank much more of ours than theirs. Dad was not a drinker, but he always ensured plenty for Johnny and the other first footers, usually quite large in numbers. We, kids, would be allowed one Babycham. Any further drinks for us consisted of another treat only dispensed at New Year; Roses Lime Cordial.
On Mull the meeting and sharing a dram extended well into the year. That is, for at least three weeks. People meeting in their cars would require each to stop; this was necessary anyway, as on Mull, you could only pass at passing places. After greetings, search the inside pocket for the half bottle to share a New Year's dram. It did not matter you only had seen and shared the same the day before.
In Zimbabwe, on the farms, New Year’s Day was not a holiday, and it also coincided with the peak harvest time of the irrigated tobacco crop. Therefore, New Year was always a local affair either celebrated at the Nyabira Country Club (a misnomer) or, on occasion, we would organise a district party at our house. Later on, once we had reliable managers, Henry Bezediunhout, one of our wilder neighbours, convinced us to accompany him to New Year parties at the Pine Tree Inn in Nyanga. We had a number of wonderful New Year's there. Our cousins, Robert and Linda Hamilton, who were visiting from Scotland also joined us once. Other notables regularly in attendance were Rex and Wendy Carey, Mickey and Jane Heath, and the Gebbies from Banket. At about four am every year Henry, also an avid gambler, would convince me to go with him to the Casino at Montclair, up a very slippery track hard enough to negotiate when sober. One breakfast, Tinks, Henry’s wife, reported him missing as he had not returned to their room following a casino escapade and went further in accusing me of having left him in the casino. This accusation had to be withdrawn when we eventually found him sleeping peacefully in his car.
So, both in Scotland and Zimbabwe, New Year was a major event, while in our time in Zambia, it was more subdued. Here in Portugal, it is celebrated with most coastal towns having entertainment, parties and fireworks at midnight. Last year we went with the Tideys to Nazarre and had a great evening. We plan to repeat this again this year. I did not think I could attend two weeks ago, but now I feel up to a late night. How quickly things can change. Rozanne insisted my health status would change by then, and she was right.
“I will be girding my loins for the challenges I know that are coming in 2024, now feeling strong enough to do so.” - Peter McSporran
“From Rozanne and I, wishing you a very Happy New Year. I hope it brings you all Good Health and Happiness.”
Disclaimer: Copyright Peter McSporran. The content in this blog represents my personal views and does not reflect corporate entities.
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