Let’s Have a Party …. Susan!

Break out the party Susan …. It’s 2022! What with Christmas and New Year done and dusted (thank goodness, no highlights there!) it was time to get a bit nostalgic about parties and New Years past, a big role in parties at our house was the filling and bringing out of that plastic fantastic ''must have item'' for the hostess with the mostest! The Party Susan! To be honest, I don’t know where my mum purchased the Tupper party Susan because she wasn’t a big fan but somehow it arrived and although the snacks changed, the Party Susan dutifully served us for about 30 years! 

And in all it’s plastic fantasticness! 

Here are just some of the earthly delights that found a compartment ….. Cheddar and Silverskin onions on cocktail sticks, of course! Doesn’t get more vintage than that but still one of my faves! Christmas fayre like mince pies or slivers of Christmas cake were also a must as were nuts, crisps and gherkins. 

Having discovered the delights of Stilton at art school my Aunt used to bring me a potted blue Stilton at Christmas time, spread on table water biscuits, yum! 

Being Scottish Cheddar was always around and I love it on Scottish oat cakes. My Dad had a sweet tooth, so he liked a selection of biscuits or cake alongside the savoury snacks. Every Christmas someone popped into Thorntons to pick up some special Toffee, his favourite and this always resulted in the first trip to the dentist in the New Year! 

 New Year or Hogmanay as it’s known in Scotland was actually the most important celebration in my land. Christmas didn’t become a public holiday until 1958 and celebrating Christmas was frowned upon by many till long after that. Hogmanay was the time to let your hair down, party like it’s 1999 and ''first-foot'' your neighbours. First-footers are those who visit you after the bells at midnight on New Year’s Eve, they should bring you a piece of coal for warmth, a dram of whisky and some shortbread to eat, although regionally the traditions vary.

My Dad always got chucked out at a minute to midnight to be the first to bring the New Year into our house! Memories, memories! I hope you made some wonderful ones ……. and let’s see if 2022 is going to be a year worth remembering; 2021 certainly wasn’t!