Hogmanay is the Scottish name for New Year's Eve and the associated New Year celebration.
The word refers both to the final day of the year and to the customs surrounding the transition into the next year. Scottish Hogmanay traditions include fire celebrations, singing “Auld Lang Syne,” visiting friends and family, and first-footing, in which the first person to enter a household after midnight brings symbolic gifts.
Modern public celebrations take place in several Scottish towns and cities, with Edinburgh hosting one of the best-known large events. Programs can include concerts, torchlight processions, fireworks, and street gatherings, but the exact schedule varies by year.
The origin of the word Hogmanay is uncertain. Proposed connections include French, Norse, Gaelic, and Scots influences, and no single etymology is universally accepted. That uncertainty does not affect its established meaning in Scottish usage.