Edinburgh’s traditional New Year celebration is commonly called Hogmanay.
Hogmanay is the Scottish celebration of New Year’s Eve and the New Year. Edinburgh’s modern festival developed into a large public event featuring concerts, processions, fireworks, and a major street party. Its name is specifically Scottish, although Hogmanay customs are practiced across Scotland.
One famous custom is “first-footing,” in which the first person to enter a home after midnight is believed to influence the household’s luck for the coming year. Traditional gifts can include shortbread, coal, salt, and whisky. The first-footer’s appearance and the gift’s symbolism vary by region and period.
Hogmanay is sometimes treated as simply a Scottish word for December 31, but it refers to a broader set of celebrations and customs. Edinburgh’s festivities are especially associated with the torchlight procession and the singing of “Auld Lang Syne” after midnight.