Hogmanay

I just love that word.  You're just not quite sure what to think when you hear it.

Wait a second, its Halloween right?  Then why am I posting a winter celebration design?  Because I'm getting ready for Becky's Ornament Challenge!

Hogmanay is actually a Scottish celebration of the new year.  The origins probably go back to the Norse celebration of the winter solstice, and also incorporating parts of the Gaelic New Year's celebration of Samhain. Symbolic gifts are given - salt, coal, shortbread, black bun, and of course whiskey (this is Scotland we're talking about), all mean to give good luck to the household in the coming year.

All of this is really interesting, but I had a good laugh when I read Wikipedia's sentence about the Shetland Islands.  The festival is referred to as the Yules, and is started on December 18, culminating on January 18 with the last tradition - a troll chasing ritual!  Is this one of those times when Wikipedia is wrong?

No troll in this design, but feel free to add one if you want!

This will be my first ornament as part of the great 2011 Christmas Ornament Challenge.  Does everyone else have a project ready to start working on?