What is New Year's Eve called in Scotland?

New Year's Eve is called Hogmanay in Scotland.

Hogmanay refers both to the Scottish New Year's Eve celebration and, in broader usage, to the surrounding festivities that welcome the New Year. Its customs include gatherings, singing “Auld Lang Syne,” torchlight processions, fireworks, and first-footing, in which the first person to enter a home after midnight is associated with bringing luck.

The word's origin is uncertain. Proposed explanations have connected it with French, Norse, Gaelic, and Scots sources, but no single etymology is universally accepted. This uncertainty is a frequent point of confusion: the name is unquestionably Scottish in modern cultural use, but its medieval linguistic roots remain debated.

Edinburgh's Hogmanay became internationally famous for its large public celebrations, especially the street party and torchlight events. Scottish New Year customs vary by region and household, so not every celebration includes every traditional element.