The traditional name of Edinburgh’s large New Year celebration in Scotland is Hogmanay.
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is a multi-day festival known for concerts, street celebrations, fireworks, and a torchlight procession. It attracts visitors from around the world and is one of Scotland’s most prominent annual cultural events.
The word Hogmanay refers broadly to Scottish New Year customs, not only to Edinburgh’s organized festival. Its exact origin is uncertain, and proposed explanations have connected it with Scandinavian, French, Gaelic, and other linguistic influences.
A well-known Hogmanay custom is first-footing: the first person to enter a household after midnight traditionally brings symbolic gifts such as coal, shortbread, or whisky. The custom is separate from the festival’s modern ticketed events.