Hogmanay is the Scottish word for New Year's Eve celebrations featuring traditions such as torchlight processions and street parties.
Hogmanay is especially associated with Scotland, where New Year's festivities have developed distinctive customs over many centuries. Edinburgh's celebration is internationally known for its large street party, concert events, and torchlight procession through the city.
A major Hogmanay custom is “first-footing.” Traditionally, the first person to enter a household after midnight brings symbolic gifts, often including coal, shortbread, salt, or whisky. The visitor is meant to help ensure warmth, food, prosperity, and good fortune in the coming year.
The word's exact origin is debated, with suggested connections to Scandinavian, French, Gaelic, and other linguistic sources. Hogmanay is sometimes used as if it simply means a party, but it more specifically refers to Scotland's New Year's Eve observances and the wider body of related customs.