"We don't eat an awful lot, simply snacks throughout the evening, and usually play some games with music on and when it's near New Year we go outside into the normally warm night and ready our glasses and our fireworks. When the Year dawns we hug and wish each other Happy New Year, and watch the fireworks herald it in as we sing Auld lang Syne. Many kiwis now save their 'Guy Fawkes' fireworks for New Year.

Thereafter we eat some snacks that were in the oven and watch to make sure our first foot is tall, dark, and handsome.

The largest Highland Games in the Southern Hemisphere is at Waipu on 1st January so many head there on that day."

Tommy Robertson, Auckland