New year in Highland Perthshire is always a special time,
with all the old traditions being followed by many local highland
people, which includes making sure they are back in their own
homes 'for the bells' that chime the end of the old year
and in the new year.
There are a number of New Year Ceilidhs (Scottish
Highland Dances) through out the area, in local village halls,
hotels and clubs. Killiecrankie village hall is one example where
the local community gather bringing their own drink and nibbles to
dance away the old year. It starts around 8pm each new year's eve
(Hogmanay) with the families from 5 years old along to
grannies and grand pas too, dancing the 'Gay Gordons', 'Strip the
Willow', 'Military two Step' to name a few. Roughly 15
minutes before 'the bells', the hall empties as the locals
rush off home to see in the New Year in their own homes, which is
important for the success of the next year to come. Fireworks are
often let off after midnight in the first minutes of the New
Year.
New Year's Day in Highland Perthshire sees the now
established Pitlochry
Street Ceilidh or Party, where literally
thousands of people gather from 1pm to 4pm on New Year's Day to
dance to tunes played by Jack Delaney's Ceilidh Dance Band and
compared by Eddie Rose. The event is free, including hot soup,
sausage rolls, and mulled wine with donations funding the next
year's event. 2012 New Year in Pitlochry on
YOU TUBE also New
Year Ceilidh photos on Flickr.
The Auld New Year, is also celebrated, 'Auld' or 'Old' as
it is to the old Gregorian calendar. The Atholl Country Life Museum
in Blair Atholl organises the event during the second week of
January each year in Blair Atholl village hall.
