Hogmanay parties in Scotland are legendary. Although some people believe that New Years celebrations can be somewhat anticlimactic, many people in Scotland do not share this sentiment. Hogmanay, or New Years Eve, is a time for friends and family to get together and enjoy the last hours of the year before extending the celebrations until the early hours of the next day. Indeed, while the rest of the UK enjoys a bank holiday on January 1, it is only in Scotland that there is also a bank holiday on January 2 – perhaps a demonstration of how seriously Scots take celebrations! of Hogmanay!
In Scottish cities such as Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen, elaborate fireworks displays are held and revelers dance to high-profile musical acts. Street parties like the one organized in Edinburgh city center are very popular and famous all over the world – many will travel for a special New Year’s getaway and a lively atmosphere. However, you are also likely to find enthusiastic celebrations in Scotland’s smaller towns and villages – in counties like Perthshire and Fife, more rural communities hold equally enthusiastic celebrations. Typical Hogmanay programs include a grand dinner with friends and family followed by a ceilidh (Scottish country dance) at the local or town hall. At ‘the bells’ (when the clock strikes midnight), groups will toast the new year, perhaps with whiskey or even ‘vin chaud’ on particularly chilly nights! Traditions and cultures vary across Scotland and some cities will have their own unique ways of celebrating Hogmanay. For example, there are a number of rituals in Orkney and Shetland that are likely Viking in origin. Other traditions bring the whole of Scotland together, such as the expectation that locals will step up to one another when visiting after the bells with special gifts for their hosts.
Scotland is a great place to visit at any time of the year, but perhaps it’s Hogmanay that the country really comes to life. While nights can be long at this time of year, the sense of community and the spirit of celebration is at its best. Enjoy great hospitality if you are visiting and learn a few steps so you can blend in well with whatever ceilidhs you are invited to. (Don’t worry though, not knowing some of the dances is part of the fun.)
On New Year’s Day there are likely to be numerous special events in the city you are staying in and many families will take the opportunity to explore some of the surrounding countryside on a long hike or climb. There can’t be a better way to cool off after a night of celebrations!