Happy New Year! Feliz ano nuevo! Happy Hogmanay!

Author: By Jerry Morris, Globe Staff

Date: SUNDAY, December 29, 1996

Page: E1

Section: Travel

We arrived at Glasgow Airport last December in the middle of the coldest winter in some 40 years. Adding to the chill was the thick, frozen windscreen (windshield) of the Avis car. Armed with a small plastic scraper, and without gloves, I chipped away. This is not the weather to be in kilts.

Why, I wondered, were we here instead of the sunny Caribbean? The answer was simple: my wife and Hogmanay. In its short four years of celebration, Hogmanay has become the biggest New Year's party in Europe. It draws hundreds of thousands tothe streets and parks of Edinburgh. I also had no idea of the scope or popularity of Hogmanay. What I did know was that my wife, Mary Beth, who begins to shiver when the temperature falls below 90, had warm thoughts of Hogmanay based on stories by son Doug, who visited cousins here the year before. She was determined that we would spend New Year 1996 in Scotland.

Hogmanay is simply the Scottish word for the last day of the year, and the events surrounding it have developed from Celtic myth and tradition. The celebration's most spectacular theme comes from the mythology of the Norsemen and Celtics, who saw great symbolism in fire and in omens in nature. Based on this theme of fire and light in the dark midwinter (and it does get dark by about 3 in the afternoon in Edinburgh), festivities begin with a Fire Procession, a torchlight parade that marches through the center of the city, culminating in a Fire Festival on Calton Hill.

And there is another reason to come to Edinburgh for the new year -- Robert Burns. What would new Year's Eve be without at least one round of Burns' famed ``Auld Lang Syne''? Just about everyone in the world knows at least a few words. Burns first arrived in Edinburgh in 1786, and his poetry has become a part of Edinburgh's and Scotland's life since then. He wrote of nature, love, dignity and Scottish nationhood. He rescued the Scottish tongue and wrote fine words to more than 300 traditional tunes, the most famous being ``Auld Lang Syne.''

The celebration was to come, but first we had to get warm. It did get warm -- for winter, that is -- and I did warm up quickly both to the festivities, getting together once again with my wife's cousins, and sampling, at every chance, Scotland's very own ``water of life'' -- Scotch whisky. One of the most pleasant discoveries came aboard the British Airways flight over when I tasted my first Johnny Walker Blue (not red or black, but blue) Label, the smoothest Scotch I have sipped (unfortunately, very limited and very expensive, almost $120 duty free on the plane, close to $200 a bottle in Scotland).

Not being a planner, I left choosing hotels for the first four days of our stay until the last, only to once again discover the popularity of the season as I encountered ``sold out'' notices. We began our stay in Glasgow, which from all appearances also has a lively New Year's Eve celebration. Fortunately, we had friends and relatives to rescue us. Sandy, a helpful acquaintance, suggested the Glasgow Thistle Hotel (formerly the Hospitality Inn), a fine choice for two days and handy to attractions, especially Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow's pedestrian shopping street. Then relatives found us a Travel Inn, a budget-priced motel-style accommodation near Hamilton, between Glasgow and Edinburgh. Here, while searching in somewhat of a fog on the first morning of the new year, a man with a husky voice studying a local map asked me what there was to see in the area. ``No idea,'' I said, then asked where he was from. ``Moscow,'' he replied, explaining he had heard about Hogmanay and wanted to see it but couldn't find accommodations any closer to Edinburgh (about 30 miles away).

Hogmanay, like Boston's much-copied First Night, is filled with lots of free events, lots of music and theater -- some events do require tickets. The celebration, according to the Scots, is the world's biggest street party, and judging by the crowds and happenings, I have no reason to doubt them. One can certainly say ``Happy New Year'' in many places and many languages, but Hogmanay is one of, if not, the best.

Least you think this celebration is just a good excuse to drink, the emphasis is on entertainment and fun, not alcohol. Even in this land, synonymous with whisky (there are also some very fine beers), heavy drinking is being frowned on, especially when driving is involved. After a house party put on by our family and friends, cousin Fred, who for medical reasons no longer can touch alcohol, was the designated driver to return all to homes or lodging.

Certainly a highlight of Hogmanay -- which we watched on TV from the comfort of a living room -- are the fireworks over the castle and the kilted marching bands, with their bagpipes skirling.

Edinburgh's setting, with its grand architectural ambience, its castle overlooking the city and wide-open park along Princes Street, only adds to the festive atmosphere. The city is filled with 16th- and 17th-century buildings, elegant Georgian squares, lovely green spaces and, even in winter, beautiful gardens.

Most activities are centered along and between Princes Street, the main shopping boulevard and, running almost parallel, High Street, better known as the Royal Mile. The Royal Mile begins (or ends, depending on your tour or view) at the Palace of Holyrood House, where the royal family still spends part of the year, and the 16th-century Edinburgh Castle, high on a hill overlooking the city.

We discovered a huge carnival along Waterloo Place, which juts off Princes Street. Here, the Scots claim to have merely the biggest street fair in Britain, and the area is swinging day and night throughout the first week of the new year. Food stands, carnival games and lots of rides cover both sides of the street among a backdrop of Victorian structures. It is a street of tempting smells from the food stands, screams of delight from young and old riders and lively music.

On Jan. 2 as the crowds thinned, there was time for shopping and exploring. Most Edinburgh attractions are open. We found only two problems during this time -- parking and some closed stores. Tour buses with on-and-off privileges are the answer to parking. Daughter Wendy wanted to dine at the Witchery, adjacent to the castle, but I was told the only place to park was within the castle grounds. ``This area is only for castle visitors,'' the guard told me. Assuring him that was my intent, we parked, then, when he wasn't looking, headed for the Witchery, only to discover it closed. Fortunately, The Secret Garden, part of the building, was open, and turned out to be a superb choice for lunch.

My wife was also determined to obtain both a comforter, similar to the one we enjoyed at a bed and breakfast owned by other cousins, and Edinburgh Crystal. The recommended department store was closed, but Jenner's, Scotland's answer to Harrods, was open and more than willing to accommodate us. Having a car meant my wife could get to the crystal factory outlet just outside the city where she gleefully purchased seconds after seconds.

Our stay in Scotland ended with two nights at Gleneagles, one of the grandest places to stay anywhere. And we were warmly welcomed not only by its style but also by its ``white sale'' rooms, this year costing 109 pounds (about $179) a night, including a full Scottish breakfast.

Located just an hour from Edinburgh and Glasgow Airport, Gleneagles is a grand hotel set on 830 acres, a playground over the years of royalty from throughout Europe and the rich and famous. It is lavish, yet casual, and during the winter season a grand value. We indulged in just a few of the activities they offer -- Doug took aim at the Jackie Stewart Shooting School (Stewart was a champion at both clay target shooting as well as motor racing), Wendy went to the Mark Phillips Equestrian Centre (the biggest indoor riding academy in England), Mary Beth, the golf academy (the courses here are simply outstanding, but during our visit were unplayable because of wet conditions) and I tried the British School of Falconry because my first choice, the off-road school, was closed because of the weather. ``Closed?'' I asked. ``I thought Land Rovers were built to go in any type of weather, any condition.'' My instructor, who also teaches falconry, said it's the drivers, not the vehicles, that they fear.

The resort is also known for its fishing and its spa, where we all relaxed in the heated, glass-enclosed pool area. Cousin Bill, who lives nearby, holds a membership in the health and golf club. All the classes we took can be done in a half day or longer if one desires to gain further skills .

Gleneagles was a warm and fitting end to a week that began on a cold, cold note.

British Airways offers direct flights from Boston to Glasgow throughout the year. January is a good time to visit -- providing you don't hit the kind of cold spell that we did -- because both air fares and accommodations are at bargain prices. Now through March 11, air fare from Boston is $349 and can be combined with British Airways Holiday stays at $55 a person a night. For information, call (800) AIRWAYS.

Thistle Hotels can be booked by calling (800) 847-4358. Thistle often offers a money-saving deal in which a British pound equals an American dollar.

Gleneagles offers a variety of packages throughout the year that can include instruction at the various schools on the grounds. Throughout January, the resort holds an annual sale, this year with room rates at 109 pounds double or single occupancy (about $179 a night) that include Scottish breakfast and the value added tax. On Jan. 15, salmon season begins and guests can use Gleneagles' private salmon area on the River Tay. Golf is available year around, closing fewer than 15 days a year. For information or reservations, call Crown International at (800) 628-8929 or Leading Hotels of the World at (800) 223-6800.