For most English people, New Year’s Eve is either spent quietly at home, or at a party, which lasts till after midnight to “see the New Year in”. Such gatherings differ little from other parties, apart from the ubiquitous singing of “Auld Lang Syne”… The only other regular features of the season are the ubiquitous salutations of “Happy New Year” and the tendency to make personal “New Year resolutions”. Nevertheless, there is a general awareness in England that New Year is really the Scottish celebration par excellence.

The oldest references to gift-giving at New Year refer to royalty and nobility exchanging expensive presents, as far back as the time of Henry III… and up to Elizabeth I… More modest traditional gifts were oranges stuck with cloves, gilded nutmegs, capons (from tenant farmers to landlords), various other foodstuffs, and papers of pins. The earlier visiting custom is again mostly reported from Scotland, but again it is clear that it was also common in northern England. It consisted of bands of young men (later children) going from door to door on New Year’s Eve, singing and expecting gifts…