Edinburgh’s three-day New Year’s celebration is called Hogmanay.
Hogmanay is the Scottish term for New Year’s Eve and, by extension, the celebrations surrounding the turn of the year. Edinburgh’s modern festival includes concerts, street events, a torchlight procession, and a large midnight fireworks display. Its exact program can vary, but the celebration commonly spans December 30 through January 1.
Scottish New Year customs include first-footing, in which the first person to enter a household after midnight is traditionally expected to bring good fortune. Traditional gifts can include shortbread, coal, salt, or whisky, symbolizing warmth, food, flavor, and hospitality.
Hogmanay is sometimes mistaken for Burns Night, but Burns Night is held on January 25 to commemorate poet Robert Burns. St Andrew’s Day, Scotland’s national day, is observed on November 30.