Scotland celebrates New Year's Eve with the traditional Hogmanay festival. Hogmanay is the Scottish term for the New Year period and encompasses customs that combine public festivities, music, fire, hospitality, and symbolic good fortune.
One well-known custom is first-footing, in which the first visitor to enter a home after midnight is thought to influence the household's luck for the coming year. Traditional gifts could include shortbread, whisky, coal, or salt, with each reflecting hospitality or practical prosperity.
Modern Hogmanay celebrations range from family gatherings to major city events. Edinburgh's street party and concert program is particularly famous, while other communities hold local dances, torchlight events, and fire festivals.
Hogmanay should not be confused with St Andrew's Day or Burns Night. St Andrew's Day honors Scotland's patron saint on November 30, while Burns Night commemorates Robert Burns on January 25. Hogmanay specifically concerns the New Year celebration.