Hogmanay is the Scottish New Year's Eve festival known for torchlight processions and the phrase “the bells.”
The word Hogmanay refers to Scotland's New Year celebrations, which can include street parties, concerts, fire festivals, traditional songs, and first-footing customs. In Scottish usage, “the bells” can mean midnight on Hogmanay, when people mark the transition into the new year. The song “Auld Lang Syne,” strongly associated with Scotland, is commonly sung at the moment.
Edinburgh's modern large-scale Hogmanay program includes events such as the Torchlight Procession and a major street celebration, but Hogmanay is a national tradition rather than only an Edinburgh festival. Customs differ across Scotland and among families.
Hogmanay is sometimes treated as simply another word for January 1, but it specifically centers on New Year's Eve and the New Year period. Its origins are debated, with influences often discussed in connection with Gaelic, Norse, and medieval Scottish traditions.