It is this time of year (if you listen closely) you hear whispers of the past ways.
Old Christmas was a word used by my mother and reflected her youth and a time from the first settlers who were slow to adopt (as was the British Empire) the new and correct calendar adopted by Pope Gregory. Thus, for many in the British realm, they continued to officially celebrate Christmas on their “December 25th,” which in reality was January 6th.
Another factor was that Scots did not celebrate Christmas as it was considered a Catholic event. It was banned for almost 400 years by the Yule Vacancy Act of 1640. Finally, in 1958, Christmas Day was reinstated as a public Holiday in Scotland.
But this time of year, folks want to celebrate, and thus came Hogmanay, a Scottish word and time for New Year’s Eve celebrations. During Hogmanay, people visited their neighbors and shared gifts with one another, especially kids. A major part of the celebration, and it remains today in Scotland, is lots of fireworks, torches, and bonfires. To scare away the ghosts of the past, evil spirits, and move forward into the future.
My mom often spoke fondly of the family and neighbor visits undertaken, the shooting of fireworks, and the building of bonfires. Note – this was a custom my cousins and I kept in place with a slight twist, as we would shoot bottle rockets at one another in our family cemetery – Tombstones make good cover.
This time of year, we all grow nostalgic in many ways. It is just natural. If the British had held on to their old ways, we would still be six days away from Christmas. Or if we had followed our Scottish ancestors, we would not have Christmas at all! As people and businesses, we need to understand the past – but not be controlled by the past. We need to adapt when needed and not be held hostage to the old ways just for the sake of “that’s how we always did it.”
Many people and businesses are uncomfortable moving into new things. They need someone to light the way with knowledge, care, and sharing. It’s why our Bank offers personalized customer services like our Help Center.
Athbhliain faoi mhaise duit!
Happy New Year to you! – Leton
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“Letters From Leton” is a blog series comprised of the weekly updates that Leton Harding – President, Chairman, and CEO of Powell Valley National Bank, shares with the Bank’s team members. These newsletters are full of uplifting anecdotes and intriguing insights that are applicable beyond the Bank, so we want to share them with you.
