The first day of the New Year in Scotland, traditionally associated with visiting friends and family, is called Ne’er-day.
Ne’er-day is a Scots term for New Year’s Day. The name is a shortened form of “New Year’s Day,” reflecting Scots pronunciation and spelling. It belongs to the wider group of Scottish Hogmanay customs that mark the transition from one year to the next.
Traditional Ne’er-day activities included visiting relatives and friends, exchanging good wishes, and observing customs intended to bring prosperity into the household. In some areas, the first person to cross a home’s threshold after midnight or on New Year’s Day was especially significant; this practice is known as first-footing.
Modern Scottish celebrations vary by region and family. Ne’er-day should not be confused with Hogmanay itself: Hogmanay generally refers to New Year’s Eve and the surrounding celebrations, while Ne’er-day is specifically January 1.