December 31 is celebrated as Hogmanay's final day and New Year's Eve in Scotland.
Hogmanay is the Scottish name for the New Year's Eve celebration, although the festivities can extend into New Year's Day and beyond. It includes parties, music, public gatherings, torch processions in some places, and the custom of first-footing, in which the first person to enter a household after midnight is believed to influence the home's luck.
The date follows the Gregorian calendar used for modern civil life in Scotland. At midnight on December 31, people mark the transition to January 1, often singing “Auld Lang Syne,” a song strongly connected with Scottish culture and worldwide New Year's celebrations.
Hogmanay's distinctive customs developed through a mixture of Scottish, Christian, and older winter traditions. Its public events vary by city and year, so no single ceremony represents every Scottish celebration. Edinburgh's large festival is particularly famous, but Hogmanay is observed throughout Scotland. December 31 should not be confused with Burns Night on January 25, which honors poet Robert Burns.