Scotland's New Year's Eve celebration is commonly called Hogmanay.
Hogmanay refers to Scottish New Year observances, especially the festivities surrounding December 31 and January 1. Celebrations can include street parties, torchlight processions, concerts, fireworks, traditional music, and first-footing visits after midnight.
The word's origin is uncertain. Proposed explanations have connected it with Scots, French, Norse, Gaelic, and other language traditions, but no single derivation is universally accepted. The uncertainty is part of why the term is best treated as a distinctive Scottish festival name rather than translated into a simple English equivalent.
Edinburgh is internationally known for its large Hogmanay program, but celebrations take place throughout Scotland. First-footing is one associated custom: after midnight, the first person to enter a household may bring symbolic gifts such as food or drink. Hogmanay is broader than that one practice and includes public and family traditions across the country.