Scotland's New Year's celebration, observed especially on December 31, is called Hogmanay.
Hogmanay refers to the Scottish New Year festival and its associated customs, parties, concerts, and public events. In Scotland, celebrations often extend beyond December 31 into New Year's Day and January 2, which has historically been a public holiday in the country.
Important customs include first-footing, in which the first person to enter a household after midnight is believed to influence the household's luck. Traditional gifts for the first-foot can include shortbread, coal, salt, or whisky, representing warmth, food, flavor, and good cheer.
Hogmanay is not simply another name for Christmas. Scotland's Reformation-era history and later social traditions helped give Christmas a less prominent role in Scottish winter celebrations for many years, while New Year retained particular importance. The word's precise origin remains debated.