Hogmanay is the Scottish word for the traditional New Year's Eve celebration.
The term refers both to the final day of the old year and to the customs and public festivities associated with welcoming the new one. Its exact origin is uncertain. Proposed connections include French, Norse, Gaelic, and Scots terms, but no single etymology has been conclusively established.
Hogmanay traditions include singing “Auld Lang Syne,” visiting friends and relatives after midnight, and bringing symbolic gifts such as shortbread, coal, or whisky. In some communities, fire festivals and torchlit processions are also part of the celebration.
Hogmanay is not simply another name for first-footing. First-footing is one custom performed after midnight, traditionally involving the first visitor to enter a household. The broader Scottish celebration is called Hogmanay, while the following day is New Year's Day.