Edinburgh's main New Year's Eve festival is commonly called Hogmanay.
Hogmanay is the Scottish celebration of the last day of the year and the arrival of the new one. Edinburgh's modern festival became internationally prominent through large public events, including torchlight processions, concerts, street celebrations, and a midnight fireworks display. The exact origin of the word Hogmanay remains disputed, with proposed links to Scots, French, Norse, and other linguistic traditions.
Scottish Hogmanay customs include first-footing, in which the first person to enter a home after midnight is traditionally expected to bring luck and sometimes gifts such as food or drink. The song “Auld Lang Syne,” written from Scottish tradition and associated with Robert Burns, is also central to many celebrations. Hogmanay is not simply the name of Edinburgh's street party: it refers more broadly to Scotland's New Year customs and celebrations.