Edinburgh hosts Scotland's famous Hogmanay New Year's Eve celebration.
Hogmanay is the Scots word for New Year's Eve and also refers to Scotland's wider New Year customs. Edinburgh's modern festival became internationally prominent through large street parties, torchlight events, concerts, and fireworks near Edinburgh Castle.
Scottish Hogmanay traditions include “first-footing,” in which the first person to enter a home after midnight is believed to influence the household's fortunes. Traditional gifts can include shortbread, coal, or whisky, symbolizing warmth, food, and good cheer.
Edinburgh is the best-known international venue, but Hogmanay is celebrated throughout Scotland. The word itself does not mean Edinburgh's fireworks; it names the Scottish New Year observance more broadly.