Facts about Hogmanay
Hogmanay is the Scottish word for the last day of the year (New Year’s Eve), celebrated on December 31st. While New Year celebrations occur worldwide, Hogmanay has a distinctly Scottish flair, with traditions and events that set it apart. Here are 10 fascinating facts about Hogmanay that you might not know.
1. We’re not sure where the name comes from
The etymology of Hogmanay is actually a bit of a mystery. The most popular theory links it to the Old French word “hoginane”, meaning "gala day" or a gift given on New Year's Eve, likely arriving in Scotland via Mary Queen of Scots on her return from France in 1561. Other theories suggest it has Norse or Gaelic roots, but no one can be sure.
2. We celebrate it because Christmas was cancelled
After the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century, Christmas was viewed in Scotland as a Catholic extravagance and was banned by the Scottish Parliament in 1640. Although the ban was lifted in 1712, Christmas didn’t become a public holiday again until 1958. In the meantime, Hogmanay took centre stage as Scotland’s main winter celebration.
3. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay festival is world famous
Edinburgh hosts one of the largest New Year celebrations in the world. Every year, tens of thousands of people flock to the city to celebrate four days of concerts, street parties, torchlight processions, and a spectacular fireworks display over Edinburgh Castle.
4. ‘First-footing’ requires a tall, dark stranger
One of the most famous Hogmanay traditions is ‘first-footing’, which dictates that the first person to cross the threshold of a home after midnight on New Year's Day will be a bringer of good fortune for the coming year. While it’s not as common today as it once was, traditionally the most desirable first-footer was a tall, dark-haired man as it would bring good luck. This belief may date back to the Viking invasions, when a fair-haired stranger arriving at your door was very bad news indeed!
A first-footer should never arrive empty-handed. Each gift represents a different wish for the year ahead:
- Coal: for a warm hearth, symbolising that the house will always be warm.
- Shortbread or Black Bun: to represent that the house will never go hungry.
- Whisky: good cheer and prosperity.
- Salt: for health and to add flavour to life.
5. Fire is an important element
Fire is a massive part of Hogmanay, symbolising the burning away of the old year's evil spirits and welcoming the light of the new one. This ancient pagan ritual is spectacularly brought to life across Scotland. Here in Edinburgh, our world-famous Torchlight Procession sees tens of thousands of people carry flaming torches through the heart of the city, creating a river of fire.
6. Clean your home before midnight
Known as the "redding of the house," this tradition involves giving your home a thorough clean before the bells chime at midnight to sweep away the bad luck of the old year and welcome good fortune in the new.
7. Bless this house
Long before spring cleaning, Scots practiced the Hogmanay ritual of ‘saining’, or blessing, their household and livestock. This involved sprinkling magic water around the house and burning juniper branches and carrying the smoking embers through every room of the house. Once the house was full of smoke, the windows and doors were thrown open to let in the fresh, cold air of the new year, which was then sealed with a celebratory dram of whisky!
8. Welcome in the new year with a cold dip in the sea
For anyone brave enough, New Year’s Day begins by running into the icy waters of the Firth of Forth. This bonkers but brilliant tradition is known as the Loony Dook. Thousands of people, often in hilarious fancy dress, take the plunge to raise money for charity and clear their Hogmanay heads. If you want to see superheroes, animals and…the Loch Ness monster?...in one place, then you know where you need to be.
9. ‘Auld Lang Syne’ is a Scottish export
You know that song everyone sings at midnight as people join hands around the world? That’s ours! Auld Lang Syne comes from a poem by Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns, written in 1788. While you may know the words, the proper tradition involves joining hands with your neighbours in a large circle. At the final verse, you cross your arms across your chest and link hands again, rushing to the middle of the circle at the end.
10. Edinburgh’s Hogmanay street party is a modern festival
While Hogmanay itself is a centuries-old tradition, Edinburgh’s festival is a relatively recent addition. The first official event took place in 1993 and was an instant hit, drawing crowds of over 70,000. It soon grew into the four-day celebration we know and love today, cementing the city’s reputation as the ultimate New Year destination.