Hogmanay is the Scottish name for the New Year's Eve festival and the final day of the year.
The word Hogmanay refers both to December 31 and to the Scottish celebrations that continue into New Year's Day. Its exact linguistic origin is disputed, with proposed connections to French, Norse, Gaelic and other sources. Because the etymology is uncertain, it is safer to identify Hogmanay by its established Scots usage than to claim one definitive word origin.
Scottish Hogmanay traditions include singing “Auld Lang Syne,” first-footing and community gatherings. First-footing traditionally involves the first person to enter a home after midnight; the visitor may bring symbolic gifts such as coal, shortbread or whisky to represent warmth, food and hospitality. Customs differ by region and household.
Edinburgh hosts one of the best-known modern Hogmanay festivals, but Hogmanay is not the name of Edinburgh alone. It is a national Scottish term used for celebrations across the country. Burns Night, by contrast, is held on January 25 and honors poet Robert Burns, so the two occasions should not be treated as the same festival.