What Christmas is like on a remote Scottish island where residents celebrate the holiday 12 days after the rest of the world
Jeff J Mitchell
- The remote island of Foula kept an old calendar after the rest of Great Britain modernized.
- Residents celebrate Halloween, Christmas, and New Year's on a 12-day delay from the rest of the world.
- Local innkeeper and engineer Ken Gear describes what the festivities typically entail.
While most of us are in the throes of a Christmas comedown, for a tiny Scottish island called Foula, the holiday is still something to look forward to.
That's because Foula — home to roughly 30 residents — celebrates Christmas 12 days later than the rest of the world, on January 6. The difference stems from the fact that Foula retained the Julian calendar after the rest of Great Britain adopted the modern Gregorian calendar in 1752.
"Quite a lot of households here on the island really don't do anything at all on the twenty-fifth of December," resident Ken Gear told Business Insider. "The main game is indeed on the sixth of January."
Gear noted that residents don't live on a 12-day delay year-round, though they do "celebrate a few occasions by the old calendar." This includes Christmas (or "Yule," as Gear calls it), New Year's Day (or "Newerday," which falls on Jan. 13) and Halloween ("Old Hallowmas.")
Foula is located roughly 100 miles off the coast of the mainland, and is accessible via ferry. It doesn't have a shop or a pub — though there is one nurse and one teacher on the island, according to Condé Nast Traveler. The city is also known for its birdwatching tourism.
More evidence of its deeply-steeped traditions? Foula also happens to be the last place in Great Britain where the ancient Norse language of Norn was spoken.
Locals 'go visiting' on Christmas, swigging, singing and dancing into the night
Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
Gear grew up in Foula and says his ancestry on the island dates back hundreds of years — if not more. After working and living abroad, he moved back with his wife and their two kids almost seven years ago. He operates an inn for tourists on the island, and also works as an engineer.
"I suppose it's that time of year again," he said, when reached by a reporter.
Gear said that residents tend to spend the holiday together.
On Christmas, Gear said locals "go visiting" — whereby one resident offers or is chosen to serve as the de facto host.
"There'll be one household that's maybe agreed — or maybe they haven't really agreed — but everyone will eventually gravitate to someone's home."
Everyone then convenes to swig from shared bottles of whisky or port, and enjoys singing and dancing (the Foula Reel is a staple, Gear said) to traditional Shetland fiddle music late into the night, with the festivities wrapping up around 3 am.
"Santa actually comes to our house twice," Gear said, noting that he distributes presents to his family on both Dec. 25 and Jan. 6. The food is somewhat similar as well — with many families in Foula enjoying turkey or a roast. Growing up in the '70s, Gear remembers "shooting parties" venturing out to hunt birds to be roasted for supper that same night.
When asked, Gear said locals take some degree of pride in preserving the traditions that distinguish them from much of modern society.
"We realize it's a bit quaint, but that's all cool," he said.