Hogmanay is the Scottish name for New Year's Eve and the wider Scottish celebration surrounding the arrival of the new year.
Its customs vary across Scotland but commonly include gatherings, singing, fireworks, torchlight events, and first-footing. In first-footing, the first person to enter a household after midnight traditionally brings symbolic gifts such as coal, shortbread, salt, or whisky. The details differ by region and family.
The song most closely associated with midnight celebrations is “Auld Lang Syne,” which is sung in Scotland and internationally. The modern Hogmanay season also includes organized street parties and concerts, especially in Edinburgh.
The word's exact origin is uncertain. Proposed explanations connect it with Scots, French, Norse, or older regional traditions, and no single etymology is universally accepted. Hogmanay is therefore not simply another spelling of New Year's Day: it refers especially to the Scottish New Year's Eve festival and its customs.