Edinburgh's major New Year's celebration, rooted in Scottish year-end customs, is called Hogmanay.
Hogmanay is the Scots word for the last day of the year and for the associated New Year's festivities. Edinburgh's public celebration commonly includes concerts, processions, street events, and a midnight fireworks display, although details and access arrangements vary by year. The event attracts visitors from Scotland and abroad.
Scottish Hogmanay customs include first-footing, in which the first person to enter a home after midnight is expected to bring symbolic gifts such as coal, shortbread, or whisky. The visitor's identity and the gifts can vary by region and family, but the custom emphasizes hospitality and good fortune.
Hogmanay developed partly because Christmas celebrations were historically restrained in Scotland after the Reformation, while New Year remained a major social occasion. The modern festival combines older household customs with large civic events. It should not be confused with Burns Night, which honors poet Robert Burns on January 25.