The lyrics of this popular New Year's song were originally written by Robert Burns as a poem and set to music. It is popular in English speaking countries and has been around since the 1700s (or so claims my trusty, hard to disprove friend Wikipedia) . Translated loosely, it means 'long, long ago,' and is often sung at the stroke of midnight when the new year begins. Tradition.
Many folks have traditions of their own that carry them through the holiday season. Things that they've always done and no one knows quite why, other than, 'that's what we've always done.' I heard someone speak at an educator's conference about a year ago regarding doing things the way they've always been done seemingly without rhyme or reason. He had researched why the railroad tracks in this country had the spacing between them that they did. Apparently it was due to the spacing on the wagons of pioneers, which he then traced back to Europe and the spacing on the wagons there and so forth. What it came down to is that the spacing on Roman chariots were measured to fit the width of two horses pulling chariots to and fro in attempts to conquer the world. So much history coming down to horses' asses.
My parents holiday traditions often caused me to scratch my head as a child, and I now cannot help but wonder if they had their beginnings with some drunken horse's ass losing a bet. Whatever the auspicious beginnings, there were certain things that were absolutely necessary for merriment and celebration in our household. Christmastime found my family with a coffee table full of hard candy, handily contained in a cylindrical cardboard container, and ribbon candy, which was wrapped in a fancier box than most jewelry ever purchased by my father. Both of these items were purchased at the Woolworth store near our house and my father would not have allowed the holiday season to commence without these treats sitting next to a bowl of mixed nuts (in the shell) and his feet (which were always on the coffee table). No mind was paid to the fact that these candies are nearly guaranteed to lack desirability in both flavor and texture (read: don't chew); both the candies and nuts were only eaten when severe hunger and desperation for the holiday meal overcame whomever happened to be in the living room. It always seemed to me that the actual reason for having the nuts and candy on the table were that they gave my father a handy way to fill our stockings at the end of a Christmas Eve spent indulging in Budweiser. Our stockings were always filled to the brim with this shitty candy, walnuts in the shell and oranges (which were thankfully kept safely away in the kitchen). While I appreciate a good orange, and walnuts are okay in my book, they lose a certain something when stuffed in a fuzzy stocking alongside unwrapped, medicine- like candy.
The New Year brought about some other interesting traditions in our household. Fish and pork were required eating at our house and one, even a child, cannot help but wonder what masochist came up with this combination. As soon as the new day began, my father insisted we eat fish for good luck. Not just any fish, either. Herring. If you're not familiar, I suggest you don't become. Herring comes in small jars (obviously even the purveyors of herring realize this is not something eaten in large amounts) and is found in the deli section of the local grocery store. It is either in a vinegary sauce or in a vinegary cream sauce. My father would buy both. Somehow, he felt that the cream sauced fish was a more palatable offering to his gagging children. When we got older and downright refused to eat this 'tradition,' my father settled for us eating an onion out of the jar. Which is reasonable, considering how much children love onions, particularly ones soaked in vinegar and cream with a slight fishy taste.
After consumption of our middle of the night fish, we kids were sent off to bed to dream of the pork dinner that awaited us the next day. I enjoy a pork roast dinner, but the trauma of the herring often trumped looking forward to any meal in the near future. While I just threw up in my mouth a little thinking about it, I can't help but wish my father was here this New Year's eve to force feed my own children a little vinegary, creamy filth (I mean fish).
This weeks tip: My mother was with us on the great hard candy and herring 'traditions' - she thought they sucked too. She does keep up the having fish to start off the New Year tradition by eating smoked whitefish salad. This is not unlike a tuna salad, but much tastier. Whatever the nonsensical thing your family does to celebrate the holiday, suck it up and soak it in (or adjust it to include smoked whitefish), because, amazingly, you will miss it when it's gone. Happy New Year, and may old friends not be forgotten :)
