All the best!
For Jean and Monty x
Growing up, I was relatively spoiled when it came to music and parties. My parents always had music on in the house instead of TV and with my mother coming from a large family (Mum had 9 siblings), we always had a christening, engagement, funeral or wedding to attend. These consisted of nice dresses, good suits, drinking, dancing and sometimes a fight, but mostly food and laughter. My favourite nights were the infamous Hogmanay soirees at my Nana Jean and Papa Monty’s house, where many various aunties, uncles and cousins would all cram in wall to wall, celebrate life and have the time of our lives. Much like an award show or an opening ceremony, my Nana would prep months in advance for her Hogmanay buffet. Phone calls in mid- September followed by follow up phone calls a few days before New Years Eve, would let various family members know the nominated selection, “It’s just to let you know we’re having vol au vents this year. Your papa Monty liked them last time we had them so I’m doing vol au vents. Sausage rolls as well.” Fair play to Jean, she knew how to put on a lovely spread. Sandwiches, vol au vents, a pickle and cheese hedgehog were but a few of the delicacies on offer.
One Hogmanay highlight was to wait around my Nanas landline for a phone call from our relatives, (Auntie Marlene and co) in New Zealand. This was back in the early 90’s when only high-flying businessmen had mobile phones and the telephone lines would always be busy from around 11.50pm til after midnight with people phoning loved ones to wish them aw the best. Before Only An Excuse and the Rev IM Jolly we would have karaoke, music and dancing which would abruptly come to a halt when the phone (which despite being right beside my Nana, would be set on the loudest ring) would finally go. Shouts of “THERES THE PHONE! “SHOOSH” “TURN THE TELLY DOWN!” would drown out the TV blare before Auntie Marlene and co would be met with a loud chorus of Happy New Year! This was followed by various cousins and uncles shouting funny noises and jokes from years ago in the background. My Papa would tell them to wheesht and try to listen from across the room, while my Nana would “uh huh, och and mm hmm” with a smile on her face and then pass the phone round to everyone where we had the opportunity to wish them all the best and/or tell a joke.
Then came The Bells — a flurry of hugs, ‘all the bests’ and Auld Lang Syne avec some random crying. My Papa would then tell the story of how he met a lovely Fanny, (Nick Faldo’s caddy) my Nana would tell us about her royal knitting assignments and day trips to Pittenweem, one of my Aunties would have a dance off with the nieces and one of my uncles would have too much cider and start swearing. Good times.
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After The Bells we waited for the first footer, a tradition in Scotland where a man crossing your threshold after the Bells is a sign of prosperity for the following year. With alcopops in lieu of shortbread, this was usually a few of my older cousins in very good spirits en route to a house party, armed with clinking bottles and rowdy laughter.
My Papa Monty passed on some years ago, with my Nana Jean not far behind him. They had been together since they were teenagers, the first example of real love I really knew of. Once they had passed, the family gatherings became less and less frequent and it’s still something I feel sad about from time to time, but I will always have fond memories of Hogmanay’s at Nana and Papa’s; music, dancing aunties and vol au vents.
All the very best to you and yours!
Emma x
