The UK is a great place to visit for New Year celerations. January also has some interesting celebrations and festivals. Many go back centuries and have their origins in the celebration of the passing of the shortest day and hope for the coming Spring.
January is perhaps not the most obvious time to take a trip to the far north of Scotland. However, it’s not all gloom! To brighten up the long dark days of January the Shetland islanders organise Europe’s largest fire festival, Up Hella Aa, on the last Tuesday of the month. It started back in 1880. People dress up as Vikings, the chief being Guizer Jarl, and they march through the town with flaming torches which they use to set ablaze a replica Viking ship. Strange folk these Shetlanders but then you might be stir crazy after so many months of darkness!
Biggar is a small Scottish town in South Lanarkshire. Every year they hold a torchlight parade and bonfire in the center of town on New Years eve. Some say the bonfire dates back to ancient purification rituals, using fire to ward off evil spirits. At any rate, the festival has been going on for hundreds of years. It all begins with a torchlight parade, accompanied, of course, by kilted pipers and drummers. Then the town’s oldest resident lights the bonfire and partying, in true Scottish fashion, ensues.
In Greenock (south East of Glasgow) there is the Inverclyde Music Festival
We would like to hear of any other unusual festivals or celebrations to brighten up this rather dreary time of year!
