For auld lang syne, my dear,
for auld lang syne,
we’ll tak a cup o’ kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.
What better way to bring in the new year than gathered with friends and sharing a communal cup of kindness of good whisky? So it was that I said hello to 2012. Edale is a small and very sociable village and about 150 folk or half the population of the village partied in the village hall. As is traditional at the stroke of mifdnight we all sang Auld lang syne and my quaich did the rounds.
This sort of ceremonial use of drinking vessels has been lost to much of our culture which I feel is a shame, whether weddings, parties, new year or just a gathering of friends, sharing a cup of kindness is somehow a very special and enjoyable thing to do. From the Vikings through medieval period right up Robert Burns and Thomas Hardy folk would share a communal drink and it was only Victorian prudishness that brought individual vessels. I highly recommend giving it a try.
Happy new year Robin , slange var 🙂
couldn't agree more, though cos i don't drink i don't get to join in 🙁 I do remember the first time i shared porridge out of the same pan with 3 others and it was a great thing. sharing's good man.
well now.. and a happy new year to you too. As one of the highlights of my year was a spoon carving course with you, next year I will be looking to make such a wonderful quaich/kuksa, (probably under tuition!:) and will hope to do the same next new year's Eve..nothing like sharing from the same pot, as it were. Thanks Robin. ( and from my forest school participants, who now have a wider repertoire!)
What a beautiful drinking vessel. Do you treat it with something to be whisky-proof?(We once drank Drambuie from wooden egg cups, while camping, and the wood soaked up the drink.) Happy New Year!
Probably one thing that brought an end to such things was a better understanding of communicable diseases and illnesses.
Thanks for the good wishes and hope 2012 is a good one for everyone. The first 3 months are going to be very busy for me with an ongoing building project in Jan then off to Dover to build a bronze age boat in Feb/March. Not sure if I'll be set up for blogging there.Rob the quaich is dipped in hot beeswax.
I really like the silver accent, how was that formed and attached?Joe