Hogmanay is the traditional Scottish New Year's Eve celebration and the Scots word for the last day of the year.
The word refers both to December 31 and to the celebrations surrounding the transition into January 1. Its exact etymology is uncertain; proposed connections include Scots, French, Norse, and Gaelic influences. No single origin has been proven conclusively.
Scottish Hogmanay customs include first-footing, singing “Auld Lang Syne,” gift-giving, bonfires, and communal gatherings. In first-footing, the first person to enter a home after midnight is traditionally expected to bring good luck. A dark-haired first footer was once considered especially lucky in some traditions.
Hogmanay became particularly prominent in Scotland partly because Christmas was not widely celebrated as a public holiday there until the twentieth century. Modern events range from family gatherings to major city festivals, but the term itself remains specifically associated with Scottish New Year customs.