Hogmanay is Scotland's traditional name for its New Year's celebrations, including the night of December 31.
Hogmanay is a Scottish celebration with customs that extend from New Year’s Eve into the first day or days of the new year. Its exact linguistic origin is uncertain, and proposed explanations have connected the word with French, Norse, Gaelic, and Scots traditions. No single derivation is universally accepted.
Well-known Hogmanay customs include first-footing, in which the first person to enter a home after midnight is expected to bring good fortune. Gifts such as whisky, shortbread, coal, or salt have traditionally carried symbolic meaning. Singing “Auld Lang Syne” is also closely associated with the celebration.
Hogmanay is sometimes treated as simply the Scottish word for New Year’s Eve, but it can describe a broader season of festivities. Large modern events have been held in cities including Edinburgh, although celebrations have sometimes been cancelled for safety or public-health reasons.