The House of Hangover


Sean X Hume, the great Scots Philosopher and grave robber was once asked by Dr Johnston to define the difference between Hogmanay(Scotland) and New Year's Eve (rest of known world). 'Sir' he said ' Hogmanay is the same as New Year's Eve but with extra vomit'

To assess the accuracy of this description one need go no further than Embra to participate in the Hooley there. You can get some idea idea of the excitements in store (and a possible whiff of the vomit yet to come) if you go to the lavish website here but if you are trying to get a ticket (essential to penetrate the orgiastic city centre) you may have problems. Hence the error message:

We are sorry, but an error has occurred whilst trying to process your request:
There is no row at position 0.


There may be no row at position 0 but a hell of a shindig elsewhere.

Bah, Humbug and all that but Huttonian will be in bed by 2200 hours which will already be New Year in Amman, Ankara, Addis Abbaba and all points east.

As the Psalmist had it 'Sufficient to the evening is the vomit thereof'

Why actively seek it out?

For those who are wondering what Hogmamay actually is I can do no better than consult Wikapedia

: Hogmanay (pronounced [ˌhɔgməˈneː] — with the main stress on the last syllable) is the Scots word for the last day of the year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year (Gregorian calendar) in the Scottish manner. Its official date is 31 December (Auld Year's Night). However this is normally only the start of a celebration which lasts through the night until the morning of Ne'erday (1 January) or, in some cases, 2 January which is a Scottish Bank Holiday.


You can't put it fairer than that. Especially the cautious and non explicit reference to the 'Scottish manner'

You will note that the website gives no date in January for the end of the celebrations. The 2 Jamuary suggested by Wikapedia may be


a trifle conservative

Labels: Embra, Hogmanay, Old Years Night

  ¶ 10:42 AM