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Shape
Shifter
Erotic Romance Bondage
ebook
isbn: 978-1419919602
print
isbn: 978-1419959158 |
Highland
Heat
published
by Ellora's Cave
How
do you know when to trust someone with a secret held for a lifetime?
On
the surface, Hamish Buchanan has it all and because of the horror surrounding
his birth, he possesses the love and respect of the entire Scottish nation.
But underneath, where few are allowed, lurks a secret.
Although well hidden, the furtiveness needed to keep others from
discovering it, also keeps him from committing fully to another.
One
night, he discovers there's a part of him that thinks he's hunting something, or
someone. Unable to shake the odd
feeling, Hamish doesn't put it all together until he sees Grace Strachan, only
then does he begin to understand what’s going on. He's in season and she
is his mate.
Establishing
trust with another has never been easy, but Hamish must find a way with Grace or
risk losing her forever, and that simply isn’t an option.
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What
is Hogmanay?
A
Great Way to Celebrate a New Year by Tilly Greene
Posted
on Lady Jaided for January 2009
Well,
congratulations, you’ve made it through Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Kwanza,
Christmas, Boxing Day, and the Winter Solstice.
What could possibly be next? Did
you forget about New Year’s Eve celebrations?
If you have the energy for going out, then you might find it easier to
stick to the same theme as last year. Attend
a party, filled with friends and/or family, lots of champagne and done by one
o’clock. How about shaking things
up and doing something new and fresh?
Yes?
Fantastic.
My suggestion is to go to Scotland for Hogmanay!
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By the way, I don’t want to hear
about the cold weather as an excuse not to go.
The upside to the chill is that there will still be plenty of
kilted men walking around to keep things toasty.
With that taken care of, let me tell you about a few things that
will make you want to go Scotland next year for the holiday.
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Hogmanay
isn’t merely a different way of denoting New Year’s Eve, there’s a unique
background to go with the specific name that also helps shape how the Scots
celebrate. The festivities are
solidly rooted in an amalgamation of Norse, Viking, Gaelic and Roman winter
festivals. Common themes run between
all these early cultures’ special events, but there’s one that links all of
them to each other and the contemporary approach to the bash.
It is fire and how it represents both death and renewal, and it sits at
the heart of this holiday.
One
of the best parts of celebrating the dawning of a new year in Scotland is that
it doesn’t matter where you choose to participate.
Parties take place in homes, small villages or large cities like
Edinburgh and Glasgow. People gather
to release the pent-up strain of the past year, casting it out and making room
for whatever the new one will bring.
| Once the sun has set and the air turns
seriously chilly, everyone bundles up and heads off to their preferred
party location. Music is played,
people dance and sing along. Whether
at a street party or at home, everyone is ready to break loose and let the
festivities commence. Hearty
stews, wine and sweets are consumed while the energy continues to ramp up
in anticipation for the real party to begin. |
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That’s
right, what makes this holiday so special in Scotland happens later.
As
midnight looms the bagpipes start up with Auld
Lang Syne, credited to Scottish poet Robert Burns, and sung by all.
The song, with its universal appeal, has been adopted by people around
the world as a way to bid a fond farewell to the old and welcome the new with
open arms. Kiss your friends, hug
strangers, and shake the hand of your enemy, all while sharing toasts with
whisky. Fireworks explode and balls
of fire are tossed into the chilly night air, well into the wee hours of the
morning.
And
now the real party begins with first-footing!
First-footing
takes place in Scotland and by some in northern England.
It is a custom that has been around for a long time.
Roots to this tradition go as back as Viking invasions and have changed
little. How it works is that the
first person to enter a home after midnight has passed, should be male with dark
hair and carrying tokens cementing good luck for the residents.
A lump of coal, whisky and an oat cake are the most commons gift to offer
and in return, uisge beatha, water of life (whisky), and food are shared.
Sound
fun? It is because throughout the night, as long as the chilled limbs can move,
and one more dram can be shared, first-footing continues, house to house, party
to party.
While
Hogmanay is for friends, New Years day, or Ne'erday,
is for family.
Neither
hangovers nor exhaustion excuses anyone from carrying on with the festivities.
First-footing continues with visiting friends and relatives, immediate
and extended. Each of these stops
should be viewed as a mini-party. A
token of good luck is offered, food and drink is shared and everyone is merry.
The visits continue for days.
That’s
right, days! Depending on which day
of the week Ne’erday falls, the New Year’s celebrations could mean more
public holidays added to the calendar and last until the 4th of
January.
At
a time when it’s easier to cast the old ways aside, I’m happy to find one
culture that embrace their traditions. The
Scots have accomplished this with Hogmanay and Ne’erday.
They’ve melded the ancient and modern customs together, thereby making
the holiday stronger and more meaningful, all while maintaining ties to their
history.
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By the way, all the parties are not
finished after a few days. In
case you find yourself in Scotland during January, then you have about
three weeks to get rid of the Hogmanay hangover and prepare for Burn’s
Night on the 25th. What
does one do in memoriam for Robert Burns besides quote a poem or two?
Drink whisky and address the haggis, of course.
And yes, there will also be men wearing kilts and pipers at these
festivities as well.
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Basically,
all you need to know is that despite the cold weather, and yes, there will be
snow and ice, January is the month to visit Scotland!
There is always something exciting happening.
To keep warm, there are always the lads who aren’t afraid of the cold
so they readily don the kilts and there’s plenty of food and drink to explore
along with the sights.
If
you can’t make it to Scotland, then don’t despair, recreate the fun in your
own home with a little help from the internet.
Search out recipes, cook some simple things, and share with your family
and friends. A new experience is a
great way to launch 2009 with a bang!
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