Scotland's New Year's celebration is called Hogmanay.
Hogmanay is the Scottish name for New Year's Eve and also refers to the customs and public festivities surrounding the occasion. Its origins are debated, with influences often linked to Norse winter celebrations and Gaelic or medieval Scottish traditions. The word's precise etymology remains uncertain.
Modern Hogmanay events commonly include fireworks, concerts, torchlight processions, and the singing of “Auld Lang Syne.” Edinburgh hosts one of the best-known large-scale celebrations, while communities throughout Scotland maintain local customs.
A central tradition is first-footing: the first person to enter a home after midnight is expected to bring good fortune. Historically, the first-footer might carry symbolic gifts such as coal, shortbread, salt, or whisky. Hogmanay is sometimes confused with Burns Night, but Burns Night honors poet Robert Burns on January 25.