Hogmanay is Scotland's traditional New Year's Eve festival, and Edinburgh's modern public celebration began in 1993.
The word Hogmanay refers broadly to Scottish New Year's Eve customs and celebrations. Edinburgh's major modern event developed into a large city festival featuring street parties, concerts, fireworks, and a torchlight procession. The exact program has varied over time.
Older Scottish customs connected with Hogmanay include first-footing, in which the first person to enter a home after midnight brings symbolic gifts. Coal, shortbread, and whisky have traditionally been associated with hospitality and prosperity, although contemporary practices differ.
Hogmanay is sometimes mistaken for Burns Night, which honors poet Robert Burns on January 25. It is also distinct from St Andrew's Day on November 30. Edinburgh's festival is internationally prominent, but Hogmanay customs are found throughout Scotland.