Happy New Year!



Happy New Year, everyone!

As we prepare to ring in 2020, it's time for another annual tradition here on Outlandish Observations: an old-fashioned Hogmanay celebration, as they might have celebrated it on Fraser's Ridge 250 years ago.
A firstfoot was to bring gifts to the house: an egg, a faggot of wood, a bit of salt--and a bit of whisky, thus insuring that the household would not lack for the necessities during the coming year.

(From THE FIERY CROSS by Diana Gabaldon, chapter 35, "Hogmanay". Copyright© 2001 by Diana Gabaldon. All rights reserved.)
I can't participate in a first-footing myself, even if I lived in Scotland (redheads being considered extremely bad luck on such an occasion), but I'd like to share these small tokens with you anyway.






Many of you will remember the Hogmanay celebration in OUTLANDER Episode 308 ("First Wife"), a very festive occasion celebrated with plenty of food, music, and dancing.

Here's an article about Hogmanay Traditions in Scotland. From what I can tell, the Hogmanay celebrations in Edinburgh are an even bigger deal than New Year's Eve in New York's Times Square.

Happy New Year, and best wishes to all of you in 2020! It's going to be an amazing year for OUTLANDER fans, and I'm very much looking forward to it.

9 comments

Mary Tormey said...

Hi Karen , Happy New Year , hope the new decade is great for you and we get a new season to watch this winter and hopefully a new Outlander book by Diana this year to read . so Happy 2020 please post more soon. Happy New Year. Sincerely .

Teresa Holm said...

Happy New Year Karen! I hope that 2020 is good to you. Looking forward to more Outlandish Observations as Season 5 approaches. ��

C.moran said...

Happy new year......

Anonymous said...

happy new year, karen! as always, i enjoy reading your comments. as for the bit about red heads, don't worry, jamie fraser will protect you! best, inge oppenheimer

Unknown said...

Happy New year to you 🎉

Anonymous said...

You sure know how to touch my heart Karen, Looking forward to 2020 with you
dagmar// Melville, Saskatchewan, Canada

Anonymous said...

As I watch Season 4 Episode 4 for the third time, I am excited about Season 5 coming in February. Something to make me excited about during the dreary winters here in Southern Oregon. I am a newcomer to the series, having stumbled upon it this past summer. I must admit that my favorite episode is Eason 1 Episode 7 bar none. May you be blessed with all you need and all you wish in 2020. And, thnak you so much for dreaming up Outlander and helping us all ti dream!

Unknown said...

Happy Hogmanay and of course Happy New Year for 2020 to you, Karen and all you faithful fans. I love keeping up with your comments here on Outlandish Observations and I am sure I will be delighted with your reactions to the new book. Best Wishes Jan from Australia

Rebecca said...

Thank you for your good wishes and I wish you and yours the same. Thanks, too, for this website and all the work you do. As we wait for the new novel and TV series, I am glad to be able to come to your website.

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