The essence of the tradition from http://www.hogmanay.net/events/burghhead :
"The event takes place on the night of January 11 (the original Hogmanay before the calendar changed in 1660). The "Clavie" is a half barrel filled with wood shavings and tar. In the past, it would have been a herring barrel. Today, iron-hooped whisky barrels daubed with creosote are used.
45 posts from December 2007 - Helpless Dancers Blog on Vox::
An example of a local Hogmanay custom is the fireball swinging that takes place a pagan fire festival is the the burning of the clavie which takes place in the
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The barrel is nailed onto a carrying post - the same nail is ritually used every year - which is hoisted onto the shoulders of a local villager.
The clavie is then lit, traditionally by a peat from the hearth of an old Burghead Provost and from there carried by the elected Clavie King.
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Get the whole family involved in these artistic activities, inspired each month in origin, the Burning of the Clavie is a celebrated Scottish Hogmanay festival.
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Each of the ten or so men (traditionally fishermen) take it in turn to carry the burning clavie clockwise around the streets of Burghead, occasionally stopping at the houses of former eminent citizens to present a smouldering ****** of the clavie in the doorway to bring the household good luck for the year ahead.
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customs have no doubt been transferred to Hogmanay and Ner Day, and it is also Burghhead holds the burning of the clavie (a tar barrel) on January 11th New
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It was during one such battle in 823AD at Athelstaneford in what is crew member is silhouetted against the flames as the Clavie burns atop the Doorie Hill.
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The men proceed to the stone altar of an old fort on the ancient Doorie Hill, the clavie is set down here and more fuel is added until the hillside is ablaze with a beacon of fire.
The flaming embers are snatched up by onlookers and used to kindle a special New Year fire at home, kept for luck or are even sent to relations or friends who have moved away from Burghead"
Thanks for picking my answer best. --I checked into burning of the Clavie myself recently. Report Abuse
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What is involved when burning the clavie during hogmanay?