What is Scotland’s traditional New Year celebration called?

Scotland’s traditional New Year celebration is called Hogmanay.

Hogmanay refers to the Scottish celebration of the last day of the year and the customs surrounding the arrival of the new year. Celebrations can include street parties, concerts, torchlight processions, singing, and visits between households.

One famous custom is first-footing. The first person to enter a home after midnight is traditionally expected to bring symbolic gifts such as shortbread, coal, or whisky, representing warmth, food, or good fortune. Customs differ across Scotland and families.

Hogmanay is sometimes confused with Burns Night, which honors poet Robert Burns on January 25, or with St Andrew’s Day on November 30. Those are separate Scottish observances. Hogmanay is specifically tied to the turn from one calendar year to the next.