Scotland's New Year's Eve festival is called Hogmanay, a Scots word associated with the last day of the year.
Hogmanay refers both to December 31 and to the wider Scottish celebration surrounding the change of year. Its customs include singing “Auld Lang Syne,” first-footing, torchlight processions, street parties, and visits between friends and relatives. The exact origin of the word remains disputed, and no single etymology is universally accepted.
First-footing is one of the best-known traditions. The first person to enter a household after midnight is traditionally expected to bring symbolic gifts such as coal, shortbread, salt, or whisky. In some versions of the custom, a tall, dark-haired first footer is considered especially lucky.
Modern Hogmanay events can be large public festivals, but household rituals remain important. The celebration is not the same as Burns Night, which honors the poet Robert Burns on January 25, or St Andrew's Day, Scotland's national day on November 30.