Hogmanay is the Scottish New Year's celebration featuring torchlight processions and street parties.
Hogmanay begins on New Year's Eve and can continue into the following days. Major celebrations have included torchlight processions, concerts, dances, fireworks, and gatherings in city centers. Edinburgh is particularly famous for its large organized Hogmanay program, although the word refers broadly to Scottish New Year customs rather than to one city alone.
One important tradition is first-footing, in which the first person to enter a household after midnight is believed to influence the household's luck. Traditional gifts for the first foot can include whisky, shortbread, coal, or salt. Singing “Auld Lang Syne” is also closely associated with Scottish New Year celebrations.
Hogmanay is not the same event as Burns Night, which commemorates poet Robert Burns on January 25. It is also distinct from Up Helly Aa, a Shetland fire festival held later in winter. The name's exact origin remains debated, with proposed roots including French, Gaelic, Norse, and Middle English sources.