New Year’s Eve for George and Kate Findlay and Family

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A winter holiday tradition that Ella remembers as a child in Aberdeen is that of “first-fittin” - a custom associated with Hogmanay (the Scot’s New Year’s celebration) that commemorates the first person to enter a home on New Year’s Day, believing them to bring good luck to the household in the coming year.

Celebrating Hogmanay with its associated traditions (including first fittin) was the major winter holiday in Scotland (rather than Christmas) up until about the 1950s, a trend that dated back to the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century when Christmas was viewed as being too Papist.
Still commonly celebrated today, the first foot typically brings several symbolic gifts: a coin (representing financial prosperity), bread (food), salt (flavour), coal (warmth), evergreen (long-life), and/or a drink (usually whisky; good cheer).

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And it’s supposedly especially lucky if the first foot is a tall, dark-haired male. Why? There’s a theory that this goes back to viking times, when if a blond male with an axe appeared on your doorstep, that would definitely be bad luck! Thus the opposite being a dark-haired male would definitely be a welcomed sight.

Ella recalls that her family would often go visit a family friend for first-fittin, a Mr. Ross, whom her parents had known for years. This elderly gentleman lived on the other side of Aberdeen from them, and as the Findlay family didn’t own a car and the trams and buses weren’t running (Because of the holiday? Or the late hour?), they would walk clear down Holburn Street, way down Union Street, and beyond, late at night. He lived quite a distance! Ella’s mother Kate would prepare goodies to share and they enjoyed visiting with this long-time friend. And then sometime in the early hours of the morning on New Year’s Day, they’d make that long walk back home.

Was Ella’s father George the tall, dark-haired male bringing good fortune? Maybe? Ella describes his hair color as being “mid brown,” and she doesn’t remember much fuss being made about him being the first foot. But nevertheless, they all enjoyed the opportunity to get together and have fun with family and friends.

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Sources: 

• A conversation with Ella recorded on 8 July 2016
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-foot
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hogmanay

Santa Claus Is Cleared for Landing!

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For a kid, can you imagine the excitement of seeing Santa descend from the sky in a sleigh with reindeer leading the way? Well, for one particular Christmas-time event, Santa opted to keep his sleigh parked at the North Pole, choosing to pilot a helicopter instead. 

It was December 1963, and Ralph was working as a helicopter flight instructor and salesman for Caribbees Copters at the San Jose Municipal Airport. His boss, BA, owned a shopping center in the area, and he came up with a brilliant marketing idea: Why not have Santa Claus visit the shopping center, flying in by helicopter? 

“Ok! We’re ready! Just have Santa Claus come out,” Ralph said. But who would play Santa? 

BA responded: “You. YOU are the Santa Claus. Let’s dress you up!” 

Ralph was onboard with the idea (literally). He got suited up as the Jolly Old Elf himself with a bag full of candy in hand to throw out to the kids. The Santa Claus stunt was such a success that he did this at two other shopping centers that year and for a few years after that. And thankfully Ralph’s kids, who were in attendance at one event close to their home, heeded his warning: “Don’t you dare say, ‘Hi, Dad!’ when I show up!”

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Source: From conversations with Ralph and Ella recorded on 30 Mar 2017 and 2 Dec 2017