Hogmanay is the Scottish term for the traditional celebration of New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.
The word refers to a season of festivities that can include street parties, torchlight processions, concerts, fireworks, and customs centered on welcoming the new year. Edinburgh's Hogmanay is among the best-known modern celebrations, with events spread across several days.
One important custom is “first-footing,” in which the first person to enter a home after midnight is traditionally expected to bring symbolic gifts such as coal, shortbread, or whisky. Older beliefs associated a dark-haired first-foot with good fortune.
Hogmanay is not simply another name for Christmas. Historical differences in religious observance helped give New Year celebrations particular importance in Scotland, although contemporary events combine traditional customs with large public performances.