Reading (U4/Int.)

Hogmanay is the Scots word for the last day of the year. The tradition goes back hundreds of years with many customs associated to it. Probably the most famous of these is the tradition of ‘first-footing’. This involves people visiting each other, with the visitor bringing a gift for the host. In the past this was often something simple such as salt or a cake, but in recent years the most popular gifts have been shortbread (a kind of biscuit) and whisky. If you want to join in with Hogmanay celebrations then probably the best place to head is Edinburgh, which holds the biggest Hogmanay party anywhere and attracts thousands of visitors. However there is one tradition connected to Hogmanay which is really well-known around the world: the singing of Auld Lang Syne at midnight.

La Tomatina is a special festival held every year on the last Wednesday of August. The festival takes place in the small town of Buñol, about thirty-five kilometres from Valencia in Spain. Before the day of the festival there is a week of parties including music, dancing, parades and fireworks. Thousands of people come from around the world and join in with the festivities. The day before La Tomatina the shopkeepers of the town put boards up on their windows to protect them. Then, on the morning of the festival, trucks carrying thousands of tomatoes arrive. At ten o’clock the festival proper starts with all the people throwing tomatoes at each other.