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Enjoy this curated selection of theme-related dances for celebrations and holidays, or find a dance associated with a special calendar day, or EVEN your own birthday!
Jan 13
Auld New Year
Old New Year
Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day
Today's Musings, History & Folklore
"The auld year’s passed, the new’s begun,
By candle, hearth, or firelight true;
We keep this night the old way still,
And greet the year that’s yet to do."
If January 1st arrived sooner than expected, and you’re still not quite ready for what is clearly stacking up to be a tumultuous new year, don’t worry—this is your chance to regroup. Auld New Year, traditionally celebrated on January 12th or 13th, hearkens back to the days before Scotland adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752. Before then, Scotland—like much of Europe—used the Julian calendar, which gradually drifted out of step with the solar year and now sits 11 days behind the Gregorian.
Calendar-keeping has never been tidy. Across history there have been multiple “new years,” shifting start dates, and competing systems—Julian, Gregorian, and local customs layered on top of both. When the calendar reform finally arrived, many communities simply carried on celebrating the old dates alongside the new. In Scotland, the official New Year moved, but the old one refused to budge, lingering on as Auld New Year, especially in rural areas where tradition travelled more slowly and stubbornly. So insteaad of a first-footing over the threshhold, a second-footing and a new toast makes a lot of sense!
This smooth strathspey offers exactly that—a second chance to step neatly back into the dance and begin the Auld New Year properly. 💙 🤍 ❤️ 📆
Old New Year
Auld New Year, celebrated on January 12 under the old Julian calendar, offers a fascinating glimpse into a time when the world was split by its timekeeping systems. The Gregorian calendar, introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 to correct the Julian's drift against the solar year, was gradually adopted across Europe, often sparking resistance, confusion, and even outright rebellion. In Scotland, the change came in 1752, along with England and its colonies, creating a seismic cultural shift. Eleven days were “lost” as September 2 became September 14, triggering widespread unease. Many believed their lives had been shortened, and riots broke out with cries of "Give us back our eleven days!"
In rural communities, the calendar change disrupted long-held traditions tied to the agricultural cycle, leaving farmers grappling with altered dates for sowing and harvesting. Festivals like Auld New Year persisted in the Highlands and islands, where communities clung to their old ways, preserving practices like first-footing and fire festivals that marked the turning of the year. This dual observance often created a tension between adherence to the new system and loyalty to ancestral customs, highlighting the complex interplay of governance, religion, and local identity. Auld New Year thus remains a poignant reminder of how deeply our lives are entwined with the rhythms of time—and how disruptive even a small adjustment to those rhythms can be.
For more on how this change rolled out over time, click the photo of the detail of the pope's tomb by Camillo Rusconi (completed 1723); Antonio Lilio is genuflecting before the pope, presenting his printed calendar.
Click the dance cribs or description below to link to a printable version of the dance!
