About Beards

Spanish - Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo

My most recognizable trait is ready to be completed, the traditional white beard. Not all of my friends have white beards, some have grey; some have black, some have brown. But mine will be white. Tom will apply several coats of thinned acrylic paint until my beard is just right. Hope you enjoy some facts about an Old World friend of mine.

The Scottish people have their big celebrations on New Year's Day, called Hogmanay. There is a superstition that it is bad luck for the fire to go out on Christmas Eve, since it is at this time that the elves are around and only a raging fire will keep them from coming down the chimney.

On Christmas day, people sometimes make big bonfires and dance around them to the playing of bagpipes. Bannock cakes made of oatmeal are traditionally eaten at Christmas.

In Scotland, Christmas had traditionally been celebrated very quietly.  The Church of Scotland - the Presbyterian Church - has never placed any great emphasis on the Christmas festival. However, members of the Church of England or other churches generally celebrate Christmas in the same way.  The English people disapproved of Christmas and believed that there was too much riotous festivity. Nowadays these celebrations are held at Hogmanay, but they do celebrate Christmas with some very interesting customs.