Hogmanay is the Scottish name for New Year’s Eve celebrations.
The word refers broadly to Scottish New Year customs and festivities, rather than to only one parade or one city. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is internationally prominent, but communities throughout Scotland mark the occasion with gatherings, music, fireworks, and traditions such as first-footing.
First-footing involves the first person to enter a household after midnight, traditionally bringing symbolic gifts such as coal, shortbread, salt, or whisky. Customs differ by region and household, and modern celebrations often combine older practices with large concerts and street events.
Hogmanay is distinct from Burns Night, which honors poet Robert Burns on 25 January, and from St Andrew’s Day, Scotland’s national day on 30 November. The origins of the word Hogmanay are uncertain, with several proposed linguistic explanations. Its exact etymology is therefore less settled than its meaning in modern Scottish culture.