Scotland's New Year's Eve festival, known for torchlight processions and first-footing, is called Hogmanay.
Hogmanay is the Scottish celebration of the final day of the year and the arrival of the next. Its customs vary across Scotland, but commonly include singing “Auld Lang Syne,” visiting friends and family, and first-footing. In that tradition, the first person to enter a household after midnight is believed to influence the household's luck.
Traditional first-footing gifts can include coal, shortbread, salt, or whisky, symbolizing warmth, food, flavor, or hospitality. Some communities also stage public concerts, street parties, fire festivals, and torchlight marches.
The word Hogmanay has uncertain origins, with proposed links to several languages and medieval expressions. It should not be confused with Burns Night, which honors poet Robert Burns on January 25.