Edinburgh hosts the famous Hogmanay New Year's celebration known for its torchlight procession.
Hogmanay is the Scottish word for the final day of the year and the associated New Year festivities. Edinburgh's modern celebration developed into a major public event featuring concerts, street parties, fireworks, and a torchlight procession through the city. The procession traditionally involves thousands of participants carrying flaming torches.
Scottish New Year customs also include singing “Auld Lang Syne,” a song strongly associated with Robert Burns, and first-footing, in which the first visitor to enter a home after midnight is believed to influence the household's luck. Hogmanay is not simply another name for Christmas; it is a distinct Scottish New Year tradition with its own customs and history.