Edinburgh holds the Hogmanay street party that is a major New Year's Eve celebration in Scotland.
Hogmanay is the Scots word for the last day of the year and for the Scottish New Year festivities surrounding it. Edinburgh's modern celebration developed into a large, organized event featuring concerts, processions, fireworks, and gatherings along central streets. Its events have changed over time, but the city remains one of the best-known destinations for New Year's celebrations in the United Kingdom.
Scottish Hogmanay customs include first-footing, in which the first person to enter a home after midnight is traditionally expected to bring symbolic gifts such as food, drink, or fuel. Local traditions vary, and modern celebrations combine older customs with large public entertainment programs.
Edinburgh Hogmanay should not be confused with Burns Night, which honors poet Robert Burns on January 25. It is also separate from Christmas festivities, although historical religious and social practices helped shape Scotland's distinctive year-end calendar.