Whereas the rest of the Christian world sees Christmas as one of the great highlights of the year, in Scotland most of the emphasis is put on the New Year's celebrations a week later. This was true even to the extent that Christmas Day was not a public holiday in all of Scotland until the 1980s. Even after cultural influences from other countries have influenced Scotland to celebrate Christmas with a holiday, Scottish people still take an extra day off at the New Year break, and the Hogmanay celebrations still dwarf those of Christmas Day.
There are many customs which stretch back for centuries which are still practiced throughout Scotland. One custom which can still be witnessed all over the country on the night of December 31st is "first footing". This practice is one of many in which gifts are given. As soon as midnight has passed, and the new calendar year has begun, people will cross the threshold of another property, bringing gifts. These gifts are usually either coal, or traditional Scottish food and drink. Once the householder has the gifts, they will be shared with the guests.
As well as these long established national customs, many areas of Scotland have their own local idiosyncrasies. The largest of all the Scottish Hogmanay celebrations happen in the capital city of Edinburgh, where typically over 100,000 people will take part in an organized street party, concert, and ceilidh. A procession by torchlight is held the night before, The celebrations last for a full four days, and now have their own website devoted to them.
Far less well known places than Edinburgh also have their own unique ways of celebrating Hogmanay. In Eastern Scotland, where there are many fishing communities, a herring is specially decorated for the occasion, and used in the "first footing" ceremonies on the night itself. The small town of St. Andrews, home of one of the world's most famous golf courses, calls New Year's Day "Cake Day", and local bakers will bake cakes for the local children. Perhaps the most spectacular New Year's Day celebration of all is the Fireball Swinging of Stonehaven, which can draw over ten thousand people.
In the modern era, Hogmanay celebrations are still alive and well, despite the relaxing of attitudes towards Christmas. The influence of the Church of Scotland, which was traditionally hostile to the celebrating of Christmas, has waned in recent decades. Christmas is now celebrated in Scotland, and is a public holiday as it is in the rest of the United Kingdom. The only practice which has virtually disappeared is that of Handsel Day. This was a day where presents were given at the time of the New Year. Other than that, Hogmanay remains as popular as it has ever been.
