What is the name of the Scottish New Year's Eve festival whose name means a New Year's celebration?

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The Scottish New Year's Eve festival whose name refers to a New Year's celebration is Hogmanay.

Hogmanay is the Scottish celebration of the last day of the year and the arrival of January 1. Its customs include singing “Auld Lang Syne,” first-footing, fire rituals, and communal gatherings. First-footing involves the first person to enter a household after midnight, traditionally bringing gifts such as coal, shortbread, or whisky.

The word's precise origin is uncertain. Proposed explanations connect it with Scots, French, Norse, or other historical language influences, so no single etymology is universally accepted. Hogmanay is sometimes used for a particular festival, such as Edinburgh's event, and sometimes for Scotland's wider New Year's customs.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Oct. 2026

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