Scotland’s traditional New Year celebration is called Hogmanay.
The word refers to New Year’s Eve and the surrounding celebrations in Scotland. Edinburgh hosts one of the world’s best-known Hogmanay events, featuring a torchlight procession, concerts, street festivities, and fireworks near Edinburgh Castle.
Hogmanay customs vary across Scotland. “First-footing” traditionally involves the first person to enter a home after midnight bringing symbolic gifts such as whisky, shortbread, coal, or salt. A tall, dark-haired first-footer was historically considered especially lucky.
Hogmanay is often confused with Burns Night, which honors poet Robert Burns on 25 January, and St Andrew’s Day, Scotland’s national day on 30 November. The modern Edinburgh festival expanded particularly during the late twentieth century, but its customs draw on much older winter and New Year traditions.