Old customs

We live in the West of Scotland and my mother lived in Central Scotland, where it was also a tradition.
It's very generous of the older generation, it also kind of debunks the myth that Scots are tight.

You’ll have had your tea?

Ha, ha! Actually, no! Are you offering? That would save some money.

When DS1 was born 50 years ago my Dad took me to see an old Black Country lady, a distant relative - she pressed a half crown into the baby's hand (quite a lot of money in those days). I'd never heard of this before

No lemon touching a baby's palm with silver is not just a Scottish custom, I'm from Northumberland and it was common practice there, at least up till 1977 when I left the area.
I don't think it counted if the sweep was only dressed as one, he had to be a true sweep for him to bring luck, can't really think why they were lucky though

Someone in our family got married a few months ago. They had a sweep at the church. He sang ' Chim chiminee, Chim Chiminee !

There’s a lucky chimney sweep in Mary Poppins, the only time I’ve heard of this so I assumed it was an American custom.

Yes but Dick Van Dyke is supposed to be a Cockney!

Lemon, crossing the baby’s palm with silver was well-known in Yorkshire when I was growing up in the 50s and 60s. I remember my mother talking about being churched, but I’ve not heard it spoken of by later generations. There is an order of service in the Book of Common Prayer for the thanksgiving of women after childbirth or the churching of women. Maybe it was so routine years ago that no-one thought to mention it.

we love a good scramble Marydoll,you get some great pictures of the kids elbowing each other out of the way..lol.We did have a very posh wedding where the brides dad said he didn't want to see the wee ones scrambling on the pavement so they were lined up and given a pound each.I think although the weans were happy with the pound they'd rather have had the scramble ,it was more fun.

you'll have had your tea is East coast Lemon we in the west are a different breed..lol

we were all baptiised before we were a week old because neither mother nor child could leave the house before being baptised ,actually I was 10 days old as I was born in hospital,my sisters were all born at home so I was the odd one out.My mother wasn't happy about not being churched straight away.We were irish catholic so maybe thats why

lemongrove, it was in Bucks. that DD received her silver coins so not even just a Northern tradition ?

My grandma taught me how to peel an apple all in one piece. Then throw it over your shoulder. On landing it would form the initial of your future husband.

Yes, my babies had their palms crossed with silver. In the eighties. This was in London.

My sister had a sweep at her wedding. Wasn't very lucky in the end though.
Lots of adverts for sweeps mention offering wedding attendance.

I can remember babies being given a silver coin, and I'm in the south east.

I chose to be churched after the births of my two daughters, a short but lovely service , just the priest and me , it was to thank God for the babies and a blessing .

Do brides still wear something old, new, borrowed and blue?

missAdventure my DDs both did, something old were their earrings, their dresses were new, I gave them both a loan of a lace handkerchief, and we tucked blue ribbons into the dresses.
They both married only a couple of years ago.

and a sixpence in your shoe,you can buy sixpences online for your wedding shoes .Brides here tend to wear a garter with blue ribbon threaded through it .

We received a piece of coal and a twist of salt from my parents when we moved into our first house in 1961. I still have them wrapped in brown paper 57 years later.
I think it was to ensure you were always warm and had something to eat, but I'm not sure.
Our first son was given a silver Victorian half crown, but the next two didn't get their palms crossed.

We hadthe tradition of the silver coin in the south but my family originally came from the north and before that from Scotland so I am guessing that was where it originated from.

I was told a few years ago by a family member not to do any washing on New Year's Day the consequence of which would be to wash a member of the family away.Grim but a good excuse!

Both my DDs were given ciins too..by people who were not particularly close family or friends..but neighbours or acquaintances. When they saw me pushing the pram they came up to see the baby and put a coin in her hand! To indicate they wished her goid fortune!

Meant to say this happened in South London!

I used to find half crowns in DD's pram after I had been shopping or when she was having a nap outside the front door, this was 1969.
Chimney sweeps were a frequent sight at weddings here in the NE and not a problem finding one when I married as we all had coal fires.

I was always told not to do any laundry on New Years Day. As this meant you would be washing all year. What you did that day would set the tone for the year. I take no chances and don't even dust that day!

Brought up with the superstition of "wash a blanket in May, wash a life away" ie a death to follow soon.