Edinburgh's large public New Year's Eve festival is commonly called Hogmanay.
Hogmanay is the Scottish celebration of the last day of the year and the festivities surrounding it. Edinburgh's event is internationally known for concerts, torchlight processions, street gatherings, and fireworks. The city hosts several days of programming rather than treating midnight as the only moment of celebration.
The word Hogmanay has uncertain etymology, and historians have proposed French, Norse, Gaelic, and other influences. Scotland's winter customs also reflect older traditions, including fire ceremonies and “first-footing,” in which the first person to enter a household after midnight is believed to affect the household's luck.
Hogmanay is not another name for Burns Night, which honors the poet Robert Burns on January 25. Nor is it limited to Edinburgh: Hogmanay is celebrated across Scotland, while Edinburgh's festival is its most internationally prominent public example.