The History of Hogmanay The History of Hogmanay By Ben Johnson | Comments Only one nation in the world can celebrate the New Year or Hogmanay with such revelry and passion – the Scots! But what are the actual origins of Hogmanay, and why should a tall dark stranger be a welcome visitor after midnight? It is believed that many of the traditional Hogmanay celebrations were originally brought to Scotland by the invading Vikings in the early 8th and 9th centuries. These Norsemen, or men from an even more northerly latitude than Scotland, paid particular attention to the arrival of the Winter Solstice or the shortest day, and fully intended to celebrate its passing with some serious partying. In Shetland, where the Viking influence remains strongest, New Year is still called Yules, deriving from the Scandinavian word for the midwinter festival of Yule. It may surprise many people to note that Christmas was not celebrated as a festival and virtually banned in Scotland for around 400 years, from the end of the 17th century to the 1950s.

The reason for this dates back to the years of Protestant Reformation, when the straight-laced Kirk proclaimed Christmas as a Popish or Catholic feast, and as such needed banning. And so it was, right up until the 1950s that many Scots worked over Christmas and celebrated their winter solstice holiday at New Year when family and friends would gather for a party and to exchange presents which came to be known as hogmanays. There are several traditions and superstitions that should be taken care of before midnight on the 31st December: these include cleaning the house and taking out the ashes from the fire, there is also the requirement to clear all your debts before "the bells" sound midnight, the underlying message being to clear out the remains of the old year, have a clean break and welcome in a young, New Year on a happy note. Immediately after midnight it is traditional to sing Robert Burns ' "Auld Lang Syne". Burns published his version of this popular little ditty in 1788, although the tune was in print over 80 years before this. "Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot and auld lang syne For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne, We'll take a cup o kindness yet, for auld lang syne." An integral part of the Hogmanay party, which is continued with equal enthusiasm today, is to welcome friends and strangers with warm hospitality and of course lots of enforced kissing for all. "First footing" (or the "first foot" in the house after midnight) is still common across Scotland. To ensure good luck for the house the first foot should be a dark male, and he should bring with him symbolic pieces of coal, shortbread , salt, black bun and a wee dram of whisky . The dark male bit is believed to be a throwback to the Viking days, when a big blonde stranger arriving on your door step with a big axe meant big trouble, and probably not a very happy New Year! The firework displays and torchlight processions now enjoyed throughout many cities in Scotland are reminders of the ancient pagan parties from those Viking days of long ago. The traditional New Year ceremony would involve people dressing up in the hides of cattle and running around the village whilst being hit by sticks.

The festivities would also include the lighting of bonfires and tossing torches. Animal hide wrapped around sticks and ignited produced a smoke that was believed to be very effective in warding off evil spirits: this smoking stick was also known as a Hogmanay. Many of these customs continue today, especially in the older communities of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. On the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides, the young men and boys form themselves into opposing bands; the leader of each wears a sheep skin, while another member carries a sack. The bands move through the village from house to house reciting a Gaelic rhyme. The boys are given bannocks (fruit buns) for their sack before moving on to the next house. One of the most spectacular fire ceremonies takes place in Stonehaven, south of Aberdeen on the north east coast. Giant fireballs are swung around on long metal poles each requiring many men to carry them as they are paraded up and down the High Street. Again the origin is believed to be linked to the Winter Solstice with the swinging fireballs signifying the power of the sun, purifying the world by consuming evil spirits.

For visitors to Scotland it is worth remembering that January 2nd is also a national holiday in Scotland, this extra day being barely enough time to recover from a week of intense revelry and merry-making. All of which helps to form part of Scotland's cultural legacy of ancient customs and traditions that surround the pagan festival of Hogmanay. Tweet If you enjoyed this article, you might also like... Robert "Rabbie" Burns - Robert Burns is the best loved Scottish poet, admired not only for his verse and great love-songs, but also for his character, his high spirits, 'kirk-defying', hard drinking and womanising! Uisge Beatha - The name given by the ancient Celts to the fiery amber nectar we now call whisky. Traditional British Food & Drink - From afternoon tea to fish and chips to yorkshire puds ... Scottish Shortbread - Scottish cookery has always differed from culinary endeavours south of the border. The Romans influenced English cooking but as they did not venture far into Scotland, historically Scottish cuisine developed slowly. Scottish cooking methods advanced through the influence of the French at the court ... Advertising Did You Know? - New Year's Eve - Hogmanay Did You Know?

- New Year's Eve - Hogmanay What does Hogmanay actually mean and what is the derivation of the name? Why do the Scots more than any other nation celebrate the New Year with such a passion? Why should a tall dark stranger be a welcome first foot visitor after midnight, carrying a lump of coal and a slice of black bun? Read on ���� The Origins of Hogmanay A guid New Year to ane an` a` and mony may ye see! While New Year's Eve is celebrated around the world, the Scots have a long rich heritage associated with this event - and have their own name for it, Hogmanay. There are many theories about the derivation of the word "Hogmanay". The Scandinavian word for the feast preceding Yule was "Hoggo-nott" while the Flemish words (many have come into Scots) "hoog min dag" means "great love day". Hogmanay could also be traced back to the Anglo-Saxon, Haleg monath, Holy Month, or the Gaelic, oge maidne, new morning. But the most likely source seems to be the French.

"Homme est né" or "Man is born" while in France the last day of the year when gifts were exchanged was "aguillaneuf" while in Normandy presents given at that time were "hoguignetes". Take your pick! In Scotland a similar practice to that in Normandy was recorded, rather disapprovingly, by the Church. "It is ordinary among some Plebians in the South of Scotland, to go about from door to door upon New Year`s Eve, crying Hagmane." Scotch Presbyterian Eloquence, 1693. Hogmanay Traditional Celebrations Historians believe that we inherited the celebration from the Vikings who, coming from even further north than ourselves, paid even more attention to the passing of the shortest day. In Shetland, where the Viking influence was strongest, New Year is called Yules, from the Scandinavian word. It may not be widely known but Christmas was not celebrated as a festival and virtually banned in Scotland for around 400 years, from the end of the 17th century to the 1950s.

The reason for this has its roots in the Protestant Reformation when the Kirk portrayed Christmas as a Popish or Catholic feast and therefore had to be banned. Many Scots had to work over Christmas and their winter solstice holiday was therefore at New Year when family and friends gathered for a party and exchange presents, especially for the children, which came to be called hogmanay. There are traditions before midnight such as cleaning the house on 31st December (including taking out the ashes from the fire in the days when coal fires were common). There is also the superstition to clear all your debts before "the bells" at midnight. Immediately after midnight it is traditional to sing Robert Burns' "For Auld Lang Syne" . Burns claimed it was based on an earlier fragment and certainly the tune was in print over 80 years before he published his version in 1788. "Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot and auld lang syne For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne, We'll take a cup o kindness yet, for auld lang syne." An integral part of the Hogmanay partying, which continues very much today, is to welcome friends and strangers, with warm hospitality to wish everyone a Guid New Year. The underlying belief is to clear out the vestiges of the old year, have a clean break and welcome in a young, New Year on a happy note. "First footing" (that is, the "first foot" in the house after midnight) is not as common as it used to be in Scotland. To ensure good luck for the house, the first foot should be male, dark (believed to be a throwback to the Viking days when blond strangers arriving on your doorstep meant trouble) and should bring symbolic coal, shortbread, salt, black bun and whisky. These days, however, whisky and perhaps shortbread are the only items still prevalent (and available). "Handselling" was the custom of gift giving on the first Monday of the New Year but this has died out.

Torch and Bonfire Ceremonies The magical Firework display and torchlight procession in Edinburgh - and throughout many cities in Scotland - is reminiscent of the ancient custom at Scottish Hogmanay pagan parties hundreds of years ago. The traditional New Year ceremony of yesteryear would involve people dressing up in the hides of cattle and running around the village being hit by sticks. The festivities would also include the lighting of bonfires, rolling blazing tar barrels down the hill and tossing torches. Animal hide was also wrapped around sticks and ignited which produced a smoke that was believed to be very effective to ward off evil spirits. The smoking stick was also known as a Hogmanay. Some of these customs do continue, especially in the small, older communities in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland where tradition, along with language and dialect are kept alive and well. On the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides, the young boys form themselves into opposing bands, the leader of each wears a sheep skin, while a member carries a sack. The bands move through the village from house to house reciting a Gaelic rhyme. On being invited inside, the leader walks clockwise around the fire, while everyone hits the skin with sticks.

The boys would be given some bannocks - fruit buns - for their sack before moving on to the next house. One of the most spectacular Fire ceremonies takes place in Stonehaven, just south of Aberdeen on the North East coast. Giant fireballs, weighing up to 20 pounds are lit and swung around on five feet long metal poles, requiring 60 men to carry them as they march up and down the High Street. The origin of the pre-Christian custom is believed to be linked to the Winter Solstice of late December with the fireballs signifying the power of the sun, to purify the world by consuming evil spirits. And it is worth remembering that January 2nd is a holiday in Scotland as well as the first day of the year - to give us all time to recover from a week of merry-making and celebration, all part of Scotland's fascinating cultural legacy of ancient customs and traditions surrounding the pagan festival of Hogmanay. Use the "Back" button on your browser or click here to return to the Index of "Did You Know?" Where else would you like to go in Scotland? Links Pages Scottish New Year Traditions Around the World at FatherTime's Net.

New Year Traditions Scottish New Year The Scottish New Year is known as Hogmanay and both New Year's Eve and New Year's Day were also known as Daft Days. The first Monday in January is a holiday and is referred to as Handsel Monday. In Scotland New Year's Eve is called Hogomanay or Night of the Candle. Foods such as three cornered biscuits called Hogmanays are eaten. Other foods that are special at this time of year are wine, cordials, cheese, bread, shortbread, oatcake, currant loaf and scones. After sunset people are known to collect juniper and water to purify the home. The Scots prepare for the New Year by cleaning their houses. This was believed to have been a purification ritual. They would perform a ritual of burning juniper branches which they carried throughout the house so as to remove any lurking germs and diseases. The food they would eat at New Year was Haggis, shortbread , scones, oatmeal cakes , cheese, whisky and wine as well as traditional New Year black buns. The first person to rise in the morning used to take Het Pint spiced ale to those members who were still in bed.

In Scotland an old tradition that still is relevant today is that of the first footer which is said, that whoever the first person to set foot into your home on New Year's day decided the family's luck for the rest of the year. This was based on the belief in the magic power of beginnings. The start of the New Year controlled its future course. The person most welcome on new year's morning was a tall, dark haired man and especially if he bought a gift as this was considered magical as his handsome features would make the year a pleasant one and his gift of a loaf of bread, or a shovel of coal would ensure that there would be no lack of food or warmth in the household. Any other type of person who was to set foot in your home on New Year�s morning would spell disaster. Therefore people would subtly arrange for the right person to arrive. They would light bonfires so as to dispose of the old year and sometimes a straw figure known as "the Auld Wife" which represented the old year would be thrown onto the bonfire. One method used in the old days to remove evil spirits was to banish the evil to a cat or dog and scare them away.

On New Year's Eve they all link arms in a circle and sing the traditional New Year song Auld Lang Syne . After welcoming the New Year, all the people of the household would wait to see who the first person to enter the house after midnight will be, as this person would indicate whether they would have good luck or bad luck for the coming year. The first person must be a dark haired male, young virile, good natured and prosperous. He should not be empty handed and was supposed to bring with him a small gift such as a piece of coal, bread, salt as they were symbols of life. On New Year's Day children from Scotland rise early to make the rounds to their neighbors singing songs. They are given coins, mince pies, apples and other sweets for singing. This must be done by noon or the singer will be called fools. In some Scottish villages barrels of tar are set on fire and rolled through the streets. This is done to burn up the old year and to allow the New Year in. * * * * * AustralianMedia.com Family Network: * * * * * What is new years in scotland called? - Scotland Discussion Forum What is new years in scotland called?

User Name Mark Forums Read Notices Please report any spam or content violations, including adult or mature content, by clicking here: Report Content Violation/Spam What is new years in scotland called? Does anyone know what new years in scotland is called? Thank you very much danadoofloyd Join Date: Dec 2000 Posts: 7,206 New Year is called 'New Year' in Scotland! (We do not put an 's' on the end of the word, although I believe the USA does.) New Year's Eve is known as Hogmanay and New Year's Day is often shortened to Ne'er Day. Polwarth What is Hogmanay? A guide to Scottish new year traditions, events and celebrations | Metro News What is Hogmanay? A guide to Scottish new year traditions, events and celebrations Gary Marshall for Metro.co.uk Wednesday 31 Dec 2014 8:00 am Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations begin with a massive torchlight parade. (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images) For most of the world December 31 is New Year’s Eve, but in Scotland it’s something much more important: Hogmanay.

So what is it, and why does it make Aberdonians set fire to stuff? Hogmanay is a very big deal in Scotland. It’s the biggest day in the festive calendar, a celebration that makes Christmas Day seem very small indeed – and it’s like nothing else on Earth. What is Hogmanay? Hogmanay is what the Scots call their New Year’s Eve celebrations. The origins of the word are unclear – some say it’s a corruption of the Greek words for ‘holy month’, others that it’s of French origin – but the celebrations themselves go back centuries. Where did Hogmanay come from? Hogmanay’s origins are viking. Norse invaders celebrated the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, with wild parties in late December. Those parties began to incorporate elements from the Gaelic Samhain winter festival, which celebrates the beginning of winter, and Yule, whose celebrations were known as ‘daft days’ in Scotland. Like many annual celebrations, the end result is a mix of its various influences. (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) Why is it such a big deal? Because until very recently, Scots didn’t do Christmas.

The party-loving Protestant Reformation effectively banned Christmas for 400 years, and Christmas Day didn’t even become a public holiday in Scotland until 1958 and Boxing Day didn’t become a holiday until 1974. So while the rest of the world celebrated Christmas, Scots toiled. Their family get-togethers happened at Hogmanay instead. How is it different from other New Year’s Eve celebrations? It’s longer. Hogmanay starts on New Year’s Eve but continues throughout New Year’s Day and into January 2, which is a public holiday in Scotland. While the rest of the UK is generally getting back to work on the 2nd, Scotland looks like that bit at the beginning of 28 Days Later when the streets are deserted. How do Scots celebrate Hogmanay? Most Scots party, but they also observe a number of traditions. The most popular one is first-footing, where the first person to enter the house after midnight – ideally a tall, dark man – brings gifts such as food or coal. First-footing is supposed to affect the household’s fortunes for the coming year, so if your first visitor is a small blonde woman you’re stuffed.

Other traditions include cleaning the house before Hogmanay arrives, watching terrible TV programmes before the bells chime and singing Robert Burns’ poem, Auld Lang Syne. That singing is accompanied by a mass linking of arms, and those arms are supposed to then cross each singer’s chest for the final verse. While most people know the first verse, the lusty singing tends to tail off in the second as people realise they don’t know most of the words. Hogmanay in Edinburgh (Picture: Chris Watt) What about big events? Edinburgh’s Hogmanay is the biggie: it starts with a massive torchlit parade on the December 30, includes a huge fireworks display, has performances from musicians ranging from up-and-coming acts to pop stars and the odd superannuated rock group, and pulls a crowd from more than 60 different countries. Other Scottish cities have big parties too, but Edinburgh’s one is the biggest. In 1996, it attracted more than 400,000 people, although subsequent years have been restricted to smaller (but still big) crowds for safety reasons. Late December in Scotland. Isn’t that a terrible time to have an outdoor party? Yes.

Severe weather stopped the parties in 2003 and 2006. This year’s forecast looks positively balmy by Hogmanay standards, though: it’s going to rain, but the rain shouldn’t be too cold. Are there any weird traditions around Hogmanay? In Stonehaven near Aberdeen the locals make balls of chicken wire, paper and rags, set them on fire and swing them around. In South Queensferry, the ‘Loony Dook’ sees hungover Scots hurling themselves into the icy sea to raise money for charity. And in Kirkwall, the ‘Ba Game’ is an enormous game of street football that can last anything from four minutes to five hours and feature as many as 350 players. Loony Dook (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) How can I celebrate Hogmanay properly? There’s no right way or wrong way to celebrate Hogmanay, but if you want to do what many Scots do you’ll have a nice meal with family and/or friends, plenty to drink – including whisky, of course – to toast the new year, and a steak pie for dinner the following day when you finally emerge from your bed.

Don’t forget a bottle of Irn Bru, too – Scots swear by it as a hangover cure. Celebrate Hogmanay, the Scottish New Year Celebration Celebrate Hogmanay, the Scottish New Year Celebration Haggis for Hogmanay and Burns Night. Getty Updated November 23, 2016. What is Hogmanay, the Scottish New Year Celebrations Hogmanay is the Scottish New Years Eve celebration. Hogmanay is a celebration which can last for days and days; it is well known that no-one celebrates the eve quite like the Scots. What fun! The Scots, it is believed, inherited the celebration of Hogmanay from the Vikings who celebrated the shortest day of the year. As Christmas was all but banned and only very quietly celebrated in Scotland from the end of the 17th century until the mid-1950’s, New Year's Eve became something of a good excuse for revelry as well as the, hardly needed, excuse to drink whisky and eat good food not allowed over the Christmas period.

Noe the Scots get to do both but in no way has that lessened the fun, game and antics carried out on December 31st, many say they may even have grown. Hogmanay Customs in Scotland As midnight strikes it is the strains of Auld Lang Syne , Robert Burn's version of this traditional Scottish air, which can be heard everywhere. continue reading below our video BBQ Side Dishes: The 411 This is then followed by a toast to health, wealth and happiness for the coming year then finally, the custom of First Footing. First Footing in Scotland First-Footing is the visiting of friends and family immediately after midnight and sees the Scots rushing from house to house to welcome in the New Year. To bring the best of luck for the following year, the "First-Foot" in the house traditionally is a dark, handsome male carrying a piece of coal, whisky, Scottish shortbread and black bun - a rich dark fruitcake encased in pastry. The visitor in return receives a small glass of whisky. That it must be a dark, handsome man is believed to hark back to the Vikings who were blond and arriving on your dorrstep ay anytime was not the best thing to happen to you.

Hence, a dark haired man feels more secure. New Year's Eve Customs in the Rest of the UK Many of the Scottish customs have infiltrated into the rest of Britain. Though First Footing is less common south of the Scottish border, the singing and toasting - sometimes followed by fireworks - can be heard throughout the British Isles. All the Recipes You Need for a Fabulous Scottish New Years Eve What's the Scots for Christmas and New Year? Contact What's the Scots for Christmas and New Year? The Scots in common with other European nations have long celebrated rites at the end and beginning of a new year, whether in pagan or Christian times. Indeed, the early Christians often grafted new names on to old festivals and these became part of the Christian calendar. The Lowland Scots naturally had their own forms of names for these feasts and rites. The Lowland Scots celebrated the feast of the birth of Christ as ‘Yule’, the use of which has since declined in English but which is still the common name in Scots. It first appears in the forms ‘zoill’ in the 14th century and ‘yuill’ in the 15th century with Yule later becoming standard.

It also takes the form ‘Yeel’ in northern Scots. Yule could mean either Christmas day itself or the season as a whole, hence such phrases as ‘Yuletide’ meaning ‘Christmas season’. The season officially lasts from 25th December until 6 January and was often known in Scots as ‘The Daft Days’ because games and other celebrations were held. The night before Christmas – Christmas Eve – is usually called ‘Yule E(v)en’ in Scots. In modern Christmas cards produced in the Scots language it is usual to see the message ‘A Blithe Yule’ meaning ‘Happy Christmas’ or even ‘A Cantie Yule’ meaning ‘Cheerful or pleasant Christmas’. However, when a Scots speaker wishes to give a Christmas present they do not say ‘Yule present’ but simply ‘Christmas’: ‘Whit did ye get for yer Christmas?’ (What presents did you get?) or ‘Here yer Christmas’ (Here’s your Christmas present). This particular use of the word Christmas in Scots to mean a present came into fashion during the Victorian period when the feast became very commercialised with gifts, cards, trees and decorations. The day after Christmas has long been known in English by the curious name ‘Boxing Day’.

In Scots in earlier times this day was formerly known as ‘Childermes’ in honour of Holy Innocents Day, but this feast ceased to be celebrated after Scotland became Calvinist. The end of the Christmas season has long been known as ‘Uphalyday’ in the Scots language and is marked on 6 January. In English this is known as Epiphany. It first appears in the form ‘Vphalyday’ in records of the 1470s and means, in English, ‘finish of the holiday’. The word ‘up’ meant over or finished. The night before this feast is called ‘Uphalyday E(v)en’ while the night of the feast itself is ‘Uphalynicht’. The most well known use of this Scots feast name is in Shetland where ‘Uphaliday’ was being celebrated in 1774. By the late 19th century the name had taken on the local form ‘Uphellya’ in the speech of Shetland. Uphellya is celebrated on the last Tuesday of January and combines both pagan fire festival with Christmas rites. Traditionally in Scotland the marking of the New Year was of greater signifance than Christmas.

Scots had long celebrated old rites at this time and, besides, the Calvinist church after 1560 took a dim view of the Catholic practices celebrated at Christmas and so discouraged those. Until 1599 the New Year began on 25 March but King James VI changed this to 1 January from 1600 onwards. In the Scots language New Year’s Eve has been known as ‘Hogmanay’ since at least the 17th century. It is thought to derive from the French for a New Year’s Eve gift. In Scots we say ‘haud Hogmanay’ for ‘celebrate the end of the old year’ and, once the New Year comes in, we call it ‘Ne’rday’ or ‘Neerday’ – New Year’s Day. It has been traditional in Scotland to ‘first-fit’ or make a first visit to the homes of friends and neighbours on this day and to bring a ‘handsel’ or gift. ‘Handsel’ comes from an old word found in various languages and means to give with the hand. It is found in this form in Scots from the 14th century onwards.

In Scots we greet people at the start of the New Year with ‘A Guid New Year’ (Happy New Year) and on greetings cards we find the same message. Share: What is New Year's Eve called in Scotland?... - Brainly.com This Is a Certified Answer × Certified answers contain reliable, trustworthy information vouched for by a hand-picked team of experts. Brainly has millions of high quality answers, all of them carefully moderated by our most trusted community members, but certified answers are the finest of the finest. New Years Eve in Scotland is known as Hogmanay. They still celebrate mostly the same way Americans do. Hogmanay & New Year in Scotland | VisitScotland Add to basket Remove from basket Plus Minus Add to trip planner Remove from trip planner Hogmanay & New Year in Scotland Why would you choose a New Year break in Scotland? Well, no other nation in the world celebrates the New Year with quite as much revelry and passion as Scotland does, and it's hardly surprising that the enormous celebration that engulfs the country is legendary the world over. Hogmanay is what we Scots call New Year's Eve - 31 December - the big night that marks the arrival of the new year.

Its origins reach back to the celebration of the winter solstice among the Vikings with wild parties in late December. But whatever the scale of the event and wherever it's held, Scotland's Hogmanay celebrations guarantee a warm welcome and more new friends than you ever knew you had, all in a frenzy of goodwill! For an unforgettable Hogmanay break, it's got to be Scotland. Hogmanay in Edinburgh Three days of fantastic atmosphere and unforgettable memories. It must be experienced to be believed! 30 December - Torchlight procession Join the revellers and get the party started! In Scotland, New Year's carousing gets underway when thousands of torch-bearers join Up Helly Aa's Vikings, pipes and drums. Together, they march through the heart of Edinburgh with flaming torches, creating a river of fire from the historic Royal Mile to the son et lumiére and fireworks finale on Calton Hill that wonderfully illuminates the city. 31 December - Hogmanay Street Party Princes Street welcomes the merrymakers to one of the greatest events on the planet (and we mean it!).

Set beneath the spectacular backdrop of Edinburgh Castle, dance the night away at the Concert in the Gardens featuring incredible live music, entertainment, DJs, giant screens, and outdoor bars. As the bells strike midnight, admire the world-famous Edinburgh Hogmanay Midnight Fireworks on the castle ramparts. And make sure you don't leave before Auld Lang Syne - a national sing-along where you join hands with friends you just met from across the globe in its biggest rendition in the world. 1 January - The Loony Dook And if you need something to clear your head the morning after, why not take part in the (literally) breathtaking Loony Dook, the annual splash in the River Forth at South Queensferry? Take part in the Dookers Parade through the High Street before taking the plunge in the freezing Forth with the iconic Forth Bridges as a backdrop. And don't forget your fancy dress! Or you could just sleep in. Find a place to stay Book accommodation in Edinburgh for your Hogmanay break. Things to do in Edinburgh Partying by night, exploring by day! Make the most of your New Year celebrations in Edinburgh and discover the capital's plethora of world-class visitor attractions . Get your tickets!

For more information on Edinburgh's Hogmanay events, visit the Edinburgh's Hogmanay website . Tickets sell out fast, so book well in advance! Other Hogmanay Highlights It's not just Scotland's capital that knows how to throw a New Year celebration! Here are some fantastic and unique ways to 'bring in the bells' in other parts of Scotland. Inverness's Red Hot Highland Fling © Scottish Provincial Press Scotland's biggest free Hogmanay celebration can be found in the capital of the Highlands, Inverness . The family-friendly Red Hot Highland Fling will be celebrating its sixth edition this year on the banks of the River Ness in Northern Meeting Park, with music and fireworks more than entertaining the crowds. The top billing is always on stage before 10pm so that families can get home to see in the bells. This year the show will be feature The Elephant Sessions, Scooty and The Skyhooks and multi-award winning folk-rock band Skerryvore, compered by Scottish comedian Craig Hill. Stonehaven Fireballs In Stonehaven they really turn up the heat at New Year! One of many winter fire festivals unique to Scotland, this fireballs parade in Aberdeenshire is a powerful spectacle to behold.

It's a free Hogmanay event which has been celebrated for over 100 years and it always attracts a large crowd. Traditionally, it was a cleansing ritual to burn off any bad spirits left from the old year so that the New Year can begin clean and purified. Watch in awe as the piper leads the procession marching down the street just before midnight as they swing balls of fire above their head in the ultimate test of bravery. The Biggar Bonfire An enormous pile of wood gradually starts to stack up in Biggar town centre in the final weeks of the year in preparation for the South Lanarkshire town's own New Year celebration. Lit at 9.30pm on New Year's Eve, Biggar Bonfire sees the welcoming of a New Year by the townsfolk in a warm, fiery glow Drams in Dufftown Dufftown in Speyside is known as the 'malt whisky capital of the world'. While most of its New Year celebrations are much the same as you would find in small towns and villages up and down the country, it has its own special twist.

After the annual Hogmanay ceilidh at a local hotel, the community gathers in The Square where drams of whisky and pieces of shortbread are shared out to see in the bells, courtesy of the local Glenfiddich distillery and Walkers biscuit factory. Slainte! Aberdeen's Traditional Scottish Hogmanay For something a little different, get dressed up in your best bib and tucker and head to the Aberdeen Music Hall for the ever-popular annual Hogmanay Concert. With a blend of traditional Scottish music, featuring fiddlers and ceilidh bands, and live performances by comedians, it will put you in the right mood to see in the bells as fireworks light up the city from the roof of His Majesty's Theatre. Burghead's Burning of the Clavie The residents of Burghead in Moray don't celebrate their New Year on 31 December. Instead, they ignore the Gregorian calendar introduced in the 1750s and continue to celebrate 'old Hogmanay' on 11 January instead.

They parade the clavie - a wooden barrel filled with wooden staves - through the town before setting it alight on a nearby hill, smouldering well into the next day. The origins of the festival are subject to debate, but as it takes place later than the official New Year's Eve, it's the perfect excuse to celebrate twice! Comrie Flambeaux Like many of Scotland's famous fire festivals, the Comrie Flambeaux is likely to be pagan in origin - when fire was used to warn away evil spirits of the old year - but no one in this Perthshire village is certain of when it first began. On New Year's Eve, eight or so lit torches, some nearly 10 ft in height, parades around the small village at midnight. The procession is accompanied by music, people in fancy dress and general merriment and celebration before the torches are thrown into the River Earn.

Choose your Hogmanay event New Year in Scotland, New Year's Eve in Scotland, New Year Festival in Scotland New Year Festival » Around The World » New Year In Scotland (hogmanay) New Year In Scotland (hogmanay) December 31st is the official holiday all over Scotland as it is the New Year's Eve or the Hogmanay. New Year in Scotland is celebrated with fervor and enthusiasm on January 1st. Hogmanay is also called 'night of the candle'. The idea of celebrating Hogmanay dates back to the pagan celebrations of the winter solstice. These celebrations were inherited from the Vikings who celebrated Yule in the medieval period. Hogmanay Traditions People of Scotland perform all traditions earnestly to bring in prosperity and good health in the New Year. There is a tradition of cleaning the house and surrounding area on 31st December. They also burn juniper branches and carry it throughout the house. People believe that all debts and loans should be paid off before the New Year. Tradition of Fireball Swinging The custom of fireball swinging is quite popular in Stonehaven (North-east Scotland). People make balls of chicken wire, tar and paper.

Each ball has a 2m wire attached to it. Swingers then swing the balls over their body and head while walking through the streets. The main attraction of the day is casting the burning balls in the harbor. This makes the display even more impressive at the evening time. It signifies the power of sun to purify the world by consuming all evil spirits. Custom of bonfires At many places in Scotland, people light bonfires and straw like figures called Auld Wife which represents old year thrown in the burning fire. There is also a torchlight procession which adds to the ongoing New Year activities. Crackers are also burnt to scare off the evil spirits. Tradition of First Footing This tradition starts immediately after midnight. The first person to step in the house sets the luck for the coming year. A tall, dark, handsome and dark-haired man is welcomed bearing the New Year gift. The gift should be symbolic such as salt, coal, whisky, shortbread and black bun. Traditional Song As soon as church bells strike at midnight to welcome the New Year, people start singing the traditional New Year song "Auld Lang Syne" . Handsel Day The first Monday of the New Year is celebrated as Handsel Day.

On this day, employers give presents to their employees and children are given presents by their parents. Hogmanay Celebrations The first person to rise up in the morning take Het Pint (spiced ale) to those members who are still asleep. On the New Year's day, children get up early and take rounds singing traditional songs. They are given coins, pies, apples and candies for their sining. New Year celebrations are a blend of music, drinks and dance when it comes to Scotland. All party halls, clubs, discotheques and restaurants are thronged with people in full party mood. People hug, kiss and wish each other Happy New Year. Special food eaten on this day include wine, cordials, cheese, bread, currant loaf, cones and oatcakes.

Question: What is New Year's Eve called in Scotland?
Answer: Hogmanay