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Monday, December 30, 2013

Tuesday Cuppa Tea, O'Auld Lang Syne, Hogmanay, Happy New Year!



And a Happy New Year to you! We always take time on New Year's Eve to pray for God's blessing for the coming year and thank Him for His grace through the ending year. This has been a difficult year for many, and we are praying for His grace and mercy as we move into 2014. It just seems the fitting way for us to end one year and begin another...


New Year's Eve...the last one...in London, with the London Eye....


In England and other areas of the UK, especially in Scotland where Hogmanay is celebrated from Dec. 31st until Jan. 1st (known as Ne'erday) as the New Year's tradition, one of the old traditions is called First Footing. 


The First Footer refers to the first person who crosses the threshhold after midnight and "seals yer fate" for the coming year. The First Footer should be a tall, dark and handsome man with a "dainty foot" and come with certain things:


Until the First Footer came in the front door after midnight, no one should enter or leave. The First Footer would knock, be asked to enter and do so with gifts in his pockets which have regional variations. The usual in my family's tradition was bread or sometimes salt, coal, coins and matches. In Scotland the bread is shortbread and also included...what else? Whiskey! The First Footer then backs out of the door...so he won't take his good luck with him. Then the door (and the party) is free for all! 

The coal means your hearth won't grow cold, your bread is enough food, the coins insure prosperity and the matches, light.

First Footers who met the criteria, were in great demand and could make good money going from house to house by appointment. I don't know how many do so today, although a Scots neighbor said the gifts nowadays are more likely whiskey!


So who will be first through your door??? I know who will be first in our home, as He will never have left! A Happy New Year to you all and may 2012 be a year of health, prosperity, peace and happiness in our home and in yours!



Now on to the first Tuesday Cuppa Tea for 2014! In keeping with the New Year celebrations...

 I found this old cup...no saucer, just a cup...with the verse O'Auld Lang Syne on it.



The cup is in the Romantic Staffordshire style, and I haven't researched the blue transferware pattern yet. 



The cup was made by Wedgwood, England between 1891 and 1900 according to the mark.  The verse comes from a poem by Robert Burns who wrote it in 1788. It has become such a staple of New Year celebrations all over the English speaking world, and has been translated into thousands of languages.


So, with the help of some antique post cards, I wish you the happiest and most prosperous and healthy of New Years!



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21 comments:

  1. Happy New Year, Ruth! Your Staffordshire teacup is lovely. I hope you can someday find the saucer. I found the tradition of the First Footer very interesting. Like in your home, my Guest is and always will be the Lord. I pray He brings many blessings and joy to your home in the new year. Thanks for hosting and coming by for tea with me.

    Christmas blessings,
    Sandi

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  2. How neat about the first footer! I love your beautiful tea cup and the sheet music. It would be pretty printed out. Happy New year my friend! I'll enjoying my special tea cup, too! Hugs!

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  3. I'll bet the Staffordshire teacup could tell many a tale! Interesting about the First Footers, I'd not heard of this custom before.
    Happy New Year Ruth, and thank you for welcoming us each week for tea.
    Judith

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  4. Hi Ruth,
    Oh My Goodness Ruth,
    That Wedgewood Teacup is so unique. I am such a lover of royal blue cups and I have never seen anything quite like it. How perfect for Happy New Years. I was thinking it would blend with so many plain saucers which I am sure you have a lot of. Thank you for hosting today. Have a Wonderful 2014! Karen

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  5. Have a Happy New Year! I liked this post!
    Sherry

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  6. So very interesting Ruth. Wishing you a Happy New Year!
    Love,
    Linda

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  7. Dear Ruth: Thank you for always making us wiser and for the wonderful tea cups you share each week. May God richly bless you this coming year. Sending hugs your way, Martha

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  8. Lovely teacup and sheet music. Thank you so much for hosting and for having me all of 2013. Looking forward to joining in 2014 as well. Have a happy and blessed new year with your family.
    FABBY

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  9. Enjoying your tea cup and tea party today. Thank you for hosting today's tea. That Wedgwood tea cup is truly old and unique. I have something similar to it and thought at first it was a mans shaving cup, come to learn it is a soup cup. Wanted to share.... Oh if we could back up to yesteryears when we had visitors like the first footer Oh almost forgot, I've been honoured this week and chosen one of seven tea rooms in Canada, came as a nice surprise http://www.chatelaine.com/recipes/chatelainekitchen/canada-best-tea-rooms/

    Happy New Year!

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  10. Thank you for sharing a very interesting tradition. I love your Auld Lang Syne cup, so unique. Happy New Year!...Christine

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  11. What a fun and fascinating post! Love your tea cup- so unique and thanks for sharing these new year's traditions!
    - Last year I had my husband who has dark hair (and is of course handsome-haha)- go outside and walk back in on midnight holding a cookie I think- this year will have him add salt and whiskey etc :)

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  12. Hi Ruth, that is the most perfect tea cup for today int he whole world. How fortunate you are to own it. :) Happiest new year to you and your family and much love and joy for 2014.

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  13. Very interesting history. I did not know any of that. To think someone could earn money for fitting that description . Hmmm...

    The teacup is beautiful ! Even without a saucer it is a treasure, but then I am partial to blue & white china.

    Thank-you for hosting blog parties celebrating teacups, china, and the good things that come from them. Happy New year to you & yours !

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  14. I never heard that story before -- thanks for sharing it! I'm glad to have found your blog. Will be visiting again :)

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  15. Happy 2014, Ruth! I learned a lot from your interesting post! Pretty postcards, too. Love that you keep Him first and aren't afraid to say so. Blessings to you and yours, Bess

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  16. What a perfect cup to share with us this week. I have never seen one like it. It is really a wonderful set.
    Happy New Year to you! Thank you for sharing all your amazing tea knowledge, and your totally awesome collection.
    Hugs,
    Terri

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  17. Oh, Ruth, THANK YOU! All my life, my mother's (very superstitious) family had this "thing" about how a man had to be the first person to cross the threshhold of a home in the new year, and we always did it but I thought it was just an old wives' tale and wondered where on earth they got it. Had no idea this was actually an old British custom!

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  18. Hi Ruth, I'm so behind in my visiting so am catching up in this new year. I'm glad you had a wonderful Christmas. I enjoyed your post today of the traditions for new year's eve in Britain. Beautiful teacup, photos of the London Eye and the vintage post cards. I wish you and yours many blessings for 2014. Hugs, Pamela

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  19. Enjoyed seeing so many interesting things from other parts of the world.

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  20. Fun and informative post.I so enjoyed.I don't have a tea post up right now to join Your party, but do visit Me any time for a cup and a chat.Blessings this new year-Denise

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  21. Happy Pink Saturday and Happy New Year, Ruth. I love this post, and my mother had told me about the first footer. Thank you for sharing.

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Thanks for visiting and we love to hear from you! We read every comment. If my husband's health permits, I love to visit andreply. Have a wonderful day and a cuppa tea always at hand! :)