Scotland's New Year's Eve festival, known for street parties and concerts, is called Hogmanay. The word refers to Scottish New Year celebrations, which can include music, torchlight processions, fireworks, and gatherings that continue into New Year's Day.
Edinburgh hosts one of the world's most prominent Hogmanay events, with organized concerts and a large street celebration in the city center. Other Scottish towns and islands hold their own versions, often combining local customs with modern entertainment.
Hogmanay traditions have been shaped by Scotland's history, including older winter customs and periods when Christmas celebrations were less prominent. The festival is not one single ceremony; its events and customs vary by place and period.
First-footing is associated with Hogmanay, but it is a separate custom within the wider celebration. It involves the first person to enter a home after midnight, traditionally carrying symbolic gifts. Hogmanay itself is the name of the festival, not the name of that household ritual.