Hogmanay is the Scottish New Year’s Eve celebration associated with the custom of first-footing.
First-footing begins after midnight, when the first person to enter a home is traditionally thought to influence the household’s luck for the coming year. In many versions, a first-footer brings symbolic gifts such as whisky, shortbread, coal, or salt.
Traditions vary across Scotland and have changed over time. The first-footer was historically expected to be a tall, dark-haired man in some regions, but modern celebrations are generally less strict about who performs the custom.
Hogmanay also includes public gatherings, torchlight events, music, dancing, and singing. It is distinct from Burns Night, which honors Robert Burns on January 25, and from St Andrew’s Day, Scotland’s national day on November 30.