Scotland’s New Year celebration, known for traditions such as first-footing, is called Hogmanay.
Hogmanay is the Scots word for the final day of the year and for the Scottish New Year festivities. Celebrations commonly include gatherings, music, torchlight events, and singing “Auld Lang Syne.” First-footing is the custom of being the first person to enter a home after midnight, traditionally bringing symbolic gifts such as whisky, shortbread, or coal.
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is among the best-known organized celebrations, with events that have included a torchlight procession and a large street party. Programs can change, and not every Scottish community observes the same customs.
Hogmanay’s distinctive prominence is partly historical. Christmas celebrations were relatively restrained in Scotland for much of the twentieth century, while New Year remained an important family and social holiday. “Auld Lang Syne” uses words associated with Robert Burns, whose 1788 version helped popularize the song.