39771: The Old New Year, January 12

The ancient Oidhche Challuinn tradition was maintained in Kinloch until about the middle of the 1970s. The young men of the village gathered to first-foot and bless each home. They addressed the occupants of the house from outwith the walls to begin with.

On being invited into the Taigh Dubh (blackhouse), the leader "Ceannard na Calluinn", who had a sheepskin draped on his back, would circle the fire in the middle of the house in a sunwise direction "deiseal", three times. In more modern houses without the fire in the middle of the floor, the "Ceannard" would walk around peats placed on the floor in the middle of the room. The man of the house would strike the sheepskin each time it passed him.

The youngsters were then rewarded with any food or money that could be spared.