Hogmanay is the Scottish name for the traditional New Year celebration held on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
The word refers broadly to Scottish New Year customs, parties, public gatherings, and associated rituals. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is especially famous for its torchlight procession, concerts, fireworks, and street celebrations, although traditions vary across Scotland.
One important custom is first-footing. The first person to enter a home after midnight is traditionally expected to bring good fortune, with gifts such as whisky, shortbread, coal, or salt symbolizing warmth, food, and prosperity. In some traditions, a tall, dark-haired first-footer is considered especially lucky.
Hogmanay is not simply another name for Christmas. Historical religious and social circumstances gave Christmas a less prominent place in Scotland for long periods, while New Year customs remained particularly important. The familiar song “Auld Lang Syne,” associated with Scottish poet Robert Burns, is also strongly linked with Hogmanay celebrations, though it is sung internationally at midnight.