New Year's Eve is called Hogmanay in Scotland.
Hogmanay is the Scottish celebration of the last day of the year, and the word is also used for the associated festivities. Its exact linguistic origin is uncertain. Suggested connections include French, Gaelic, Norse, and Scots terms, but no single explanation is universally accepted.
Scottish Hogmanay customs include singing “Auld Lang Syne,” first-footing, torchlight processions, and public gatherings. First-footing refers to the first person to enter a home after midnight, traditionally bringing symbolic gifts such as coal, shortbread, or whisky. Customs vary across Scotland and between families.
Hogmanay is often confused with a single festival held only in Edinburgh. Edinburgh hosts internationally known Hogmanay events, but the name applies to Scotland's broader New Year's Eve tradition. “Auld Lang Syne,” strongly associated with the celebration, uses words adapted from a poem by Robert Burns, published in 1788.