The flambeaux are great tall torches, some ten feet in length, swathed for
about two feet on top. The poles are usually smallish birch trees which
are cut around October. The swathing is of canvas formly bound to the
shaft with wire, and is subjected to being soaked in a large barrel of
paraffin for several weeks.
On Hogmanay night they are brought out and laid against the dyke at the northeast corner of the Auld Kirkyaird, and when the clock strikes at midnight they are set alight. The torches are then seized by the strongest young men and hoisted shoulder high. Preceded by the Comrie Pipe band followed by a procession of people gathered in the village square they are paraded down Drummond Street, back over the Dalginross Bridge and down Strowan Road to the Square, then along Dunira Street to the Public Hall in Burrell street and finally returning to the Square. Once there they are ceremoniously thrown into the river Earn. It takes strong men to complete the circuit and no shortage of volunteers.
A motley collection of guisers and people in fancy dress add to the
ambiance and there is dancing and laughter. Prizes are awarded for the
best costumes.
Therafter people first foot their family, friends and neighbours. It is
important that a dark - haired "stranger" be allowed into your house
before a fair haired one - this may have something to do with Viking
raids - invariably Vikings were fair haired. The "stranger" may carry
a lump of coal signifying warmth or heat, or a piece of cake signifying
food or Scotch signifying liquid. A good time is then had by all and
sundry. No-one is turned away at the door.
The ceremony may be Druid - to exorcise the witches because people until
very recently believed in witches or it may have something to do with
protecting the village from marauding Vikings or it may have something
to do with the Flems who came there 200 years ago and taught the local
folk how to weave. (Flambeaux = beautiful flames)
The fire festivals are typical of those which used to be held in many
communities in Scotland, but which were largely stamped out
by the Church of Scotland in the 16th and 17th centuries. A few
survived, such as the Burning of the Clavie at Burghead, and the
fireball whirling at Stonehaven. These days they are largely a matter
of another excuse to consume vast quantities of appropriate alcoholic
beverages. The Clavie ceremony, for example, takes place around January
1st by the old calendar, which equates to January 10th/11th. This means
that the people of Burghead can indulge themselves continuously from
December 25th until January 11th.
Kirk Session records from the area show that similar ceremonies at
Findhorn and Lossiemouth were stamped out in the 17th century,
partly because of the danger to shipping in the harbours. Some
boats were lost as torches were paraded round their decks. A small
price to pay for a nice clean start to the new year, I would have
thought....