Scotland’s New Year’s Eve festival, famous for torchlight processions and first-footing, is called Hogmanay.
Hogmanay is the Scottish celebration of the year’s final day and the arrival of the new year. Its exact name origin is uncertain, with proposed connections to French, Norse, Gaelic, and Scots-language traditions. The uncertainty reflects Scotland’s layered cultural history rather than a single universally accepted explanation.
Modern Hogmanay events often include concerts, street parties, fireworks, and torchlit processions. Edinburgh hosts one of the world’s most prominent celebrations, with organized events around the city and a major gathering in the city centre. Traditions vary by region and household.
First-footing is one of the best-known customs. The first person to enter a home after midnight traditionally brings symbolic gifts such as coal, shortbread, or whisky. In some versions, a tall, dark-haired man is considered especially lucky. Scotland also helped popularize the singing of “Auld Lang Syne” at New Year celebrations worldwide.