Edinburgh’s New Year’s Eve event is known as Hogmanay, the Scottish word commonly used for New Year’s celebrations.
Hogmanay is a broad Scottish festival rather than the name of only one activity. Edinburgh’s program has included concerts, torchlight processions, fireworks, and other public events, with exact arrangements changing from year to year. The word is strongly associated with Scotland’s transition from December 31 to January 1.
Scottish Hogmanay customs include singing “Auld Lang Syne” and first-footing, in which the first person to enter a home after midnight is traditionally associated with luck. Different regions and families have their own versions of the customs.
Hogmanay is sometimes confused with Burns Night, which commemorates poet Robert Burns on January 25, or St Andrew’s Day, Scotland’s national day on November 30. Those are separate observances, even though Scottish music, food, and poetry may appear across all of them.