Edinburgh's famous New Year's Eve celebration is called Hogmanay.
Hogmanay is the Scottish celebration of the last day of the year. Edinburgh's modern festival can include a torchlight procession, concerts, a large street party, and a midnight fireworks display from Edinburgh Castle.
The word's exact origin is uncertain. Proposed explanations connect it with Scots, French, Norse, and Gaelic influences, reflecting Scotland's long history of cultural contact. The celebration is also associated with first-footing, in which the first person to enter a home after midnight brings symbolic good fortune.
Hogmanay is not simply another name for Christmas. In Scotland, New Year historically held particular importance, partly because Christmas celebrations were restricted in some periods after the Reformation. Today, Edinburgh's festival attracts visitors from around the world.