The Burning of the Clavie
 A Close Up View of the Burning Clavie, Burghead by CaptainOates
Only one town in Scotland still carries on the New Year's Day celebration on January 11th, instead of January 1st. That’s because January 11th used to be New Year’s Day when Britain adhered to the Julian Calendar. In the mid-Eighteenth century, the Catholic Church adopted the Gregorian calendar, which placed New Year’s Day on the current January 1st. At the same time, the church endeavored to eradicate any Pagan rituals, including this time-honored New Year’s festival held through the country. It was snuffed out almost entirely, but the town of Burghead has continued the tradition up to present day.
A Clavie is a large wooden barrel filled with staves and tar and then mounted to a tall post so that the end result looks like a giant torch. This Clavie is set afire and paraded down the town streets to an alter, where the barrel burns out. Once the Clavie has burned down, the townsfolk rush forward and grab a live coal that they will each use to light the first fires of the new year. While anyone can attend the festival, visitors are not permitted to collect live coals. Only town members may participate in the entire ritual. |
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