of Scotland, in contempt of the holy-day observed by England, cause their wives and servants to spin in open sight of the people upon Yule day, and their affectionate auditors constrain their servants to yoke their plough on Yule day, in contempt of Christ's nativity. Which our Lord has not left unpunished, for their oxen ran wud, and brak their necks and lamed some ploughmen, which is notoriously known in some parts of Scotland." Daft Days The period of festivities running from Christmas to Handsel Monday, including Hogmanay and Ne'erday, is known as the Daft Days. Post-war period Christmas in Scotland was traditionally observed very quietly because the Church of Scotland, a Presbyterian church, for various reasons suppressed Christmas celebrations in Scotland after the Reformation. Christmas Day was made a public holiday in 1958 in Scotland, Boxing Day only in 1974. The New Year's Eve festivity, Hogmanay, was by far the largest celebration in Scotland. The giftgiving, public holidays and feasting associated with mid-winter were traditionally held between 11 December and 6 January. However, since the 1980s, the fading of the Church's influence and the increased influences from the rest of the United Kingdom and elsewhere, Christmas and its related festivities are now nearly on par with, or surpass, Hogmanay and Ne'erday. Edinburgh, Glasgow and other cities now have traditional German Christmas market from late November until Christmas Eve. See also Auld Lang Syne Five Articles of Perth Little Christmas Taladh Chriosda Up Helly Aa References Religion and politics Scottish Reformation Acts of the Parliament of Scotland 1690 in Scotland 1690 in politics 17th-century Calvinism 1690 in Christianity 1640 in Christianity Church of Scotland