A Message from Ruth at Antiques And Teacups

Welcome to the blog of Antiques And Teacups! Let's share a cup of tea and talk about the things we love...like teacups, antiques, collectibles, visiting England, antiquing and learning about victoriana and quirky gadgets. Fun!

Sunday, December 31, 2017

Tuesday Cuppa Tea for A New Year's Eve And First of 2018

Welcome to Tuesday Cuppa Tea for the New Year of 2018!
Hoping you had a wonderful Christmas and Hanukah, or any other winter holiday you hold dear!
Ours was quiet, snowy and cold!




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....




My Auld Lang Syne tea really developed out of the 1930s blue transferware large farmer's or uber-breakfast sized cup and saucer I found a few weeks ago...


The really large breakfast cup and saucer features an 18th century couple and has the famous lyrics to Robert Burn's poem/song

Take ye a cuppe o'kindnesse 
for auld lang syne

which is roughly take a cup of kindness
for old time's sake

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.



A number of other potteries made versions of this over the years in one form or another. I have shared my Wedgwood version of it before....


This particular transferware design is actually being made, in a far rougher and heavier version, in China which you may see...blurry and rough...sometimes with misspellings...which is quite fun!


The set was made by British Anchor Pottery, Ltd. which existed from 1884 to 1970. From the 1940s theye were merged and manufacturing together with J. & G. Meakin. After World War II they resumed production, were then acquired by Gailey Group which also had Thomas Poole & Gladstone. But in 1970 they stopped British Anchor production.



This mark dates this cup and saucer to 1913 to 1940 when the war stopped production.




I also have out my family Royal Doulton Rosebud china from our holiday meals....Love it!


And...surprise! Surprise! Some antique and vintage New Year postcards and cards which I love too!
This one is by Gibons simply says New Year Greetings from 1922


This is wonderful art deco 1930s card that says

New Year Greetings
Happiness, health
and the best of cheer
To you and yours
in the coming year

I echo that for you!


This is from 1908 with a good luck horseshoe and A Happy New Year and penciled in To All. 


This one is from 1915 and says

A New Year Greeting
Not only for today
But for all the time may
Happiness attend
Thee

with hand written dedication and signature


Lastly, from 1916

Greetings and
Good wishes for
the New Year


Our tea today, is a gift from a friend for Christmas... a tin of Keep Calm and Carry On English breakfast tea...so sweet of her and I LOVE the tin!


And for a goodie with our tea...an English treat I haven't had for years sent by another friend...Tunnock's Dark Chocolate Tea Cakes...


The tea cakes are a shortbread type cookie base with marshmallow cream and a dark chocolate layer. Yum!




Besides New Year's Eve...it's also Hogmanay!



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!


So Happy New Year! And thanks for joining me for a cup of tea and achat with friends.
From me to you, as the postcard says below...

All New Year Joys Be Yours!


I am joining:
Share Your Cup


Here is the Tuesday Cuppa Tea linky for your tea related posts...please remember that it is SSSLLLOOOOOOWWWW but if you are patient...it's there!  I am so looking forward to visiting you!

19 comments:

  1. Happy New Year dear Ruth! Lovely post, and the tea tin with the Union Jack motif is especially nice. I have always loved the Union Jack and it took me a very long time to finally accept our new flag. Funny, isn't it? Your Rose Bud teacup is lovely and of course, I do like the blue transferware set as well. Wishing you and your loved one a lovely 2018 with abundant blessing. Hugs...Sandi

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  2. I love your giant teacup, Ruth, and of course, your Rosebud one is so beautiful. I always learn something from you, and enjoyed reading about the First Footer. The marshmallow-y treat is making my sweet tooth swoon!! I would love one of those, for sure. Happy New Year Blessings to you, and thank you for hosting your tea party!

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  3. Love your gorgeous Rosebud teacup!Thanks for hosting and Happy New Year!Hugs!

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  4. Love your gorgeous Rosebud teacup!Thanks for hosting.Best wishes for a Happy New Year!Hugs!

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  5. Dear Ruth,Happy New Year!Love your gorgeous Rosebud teacup!Thanks for hosting!Hugs!

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  6. Dear Ruth,Happy New Year!I love your gorgeous Rosebud teacup!Thanks for hosting!Hugs,Maristella.

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  7. Ruth, I'll be posting something Thursday morning that goes beautifully with a cup of tea! In the meantime, I hope some will visit my current non-tea-related post of a delicious Salisbury steak (along with memories of a *bad* version). Love that big cup! What an amazing find - I don't think I'd have been able to pass it up!

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  8. Happy New Year, Ruth! I'm impressed by the size of your blue transfeware breakfast cup. The "Keep Calm and Carry On" tin made me smile--I'm a sucker for cute packaging and would have bought it just for the tin! Thank you for hosting and enjoy the first week of 2018!

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  9. Ruth--always so interesting! I love the "footer" story--never heard of that tradition. Fascinating! And your china and that tea cake!! Feast for my eyes and inspiration for further research. A footer coming to the door for New Years would make a great plot addition to a book--he could be full of mystery!
    Joy!
    Kathy

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  10. Love those blue and white dishes and teapot. Happy new year, Ruth!....Christine

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  11. Beautiful post! I love seeing your dishes and the collection of post cards.
    Happy 2018!

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  12. Wonderful china! Happy New Year! Thanks for hosting!

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  13. Dear Ruth:
    I love your rose bud cup and saucer so well - I have one myself! Ha!
    I need to be reminded to Keep Calm often. I enjoyed your posting and wish you a very Happy New Year. I know there are many challenges for you with your husband's health and keep you in my prayers. Thanks for sharing.

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  14. Such a fun and informative post....love all the blue and white, and the postcards are so charming. Happy New Year!

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  15. Happy New Year Ruth! I enjoyed your post so much! I have a large brown transferware teacup like your blue one! Special! Love all your vintage postcards! Thank you for hosting your party all these years! Praying you and your hubby have a good new year!
    Hugs,
    Nancy

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  16. Happy New Year Ruth! The "Keep Calm" tea tin along with the tea cakes is such a thoughtful gift. I enjoyed learning about the First Footer tradition. So many unique and special winter traditions throughout Europe.
    Best wishes for a wonderful 2018 and thanks for hosting,
    Nora

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  17. I loved seeing your wonderful postcards and gorgeous transferware Ruth! I went to a thrift shop and missed a blue transferware teapot by seconds. Turned down an isle just as another lady picked it up. Lucky her! I did get some vintage New Years postcards from a friend last night. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  18. Ruth, I love this post with the first footer tradition. Thanks for sharing. I love the blue and white large breakfast cup is just up my alley. Sylvia D.

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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! :)

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