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To many people around the world it’s known simply as New Year’s Eve, but to the Scottish it’s called Hogmanay!
Welcoming in the New Year has long been a popular activity and is celebrated by hundreds of different cultures around the world. Some of the world’s major cities put on spectacular shows each and every year on December 31st, attracting millions of people, and while Edinburgh does not attract millions it’s still the most popular city in the world for Hogmanay celebrations.
What is Hogmanay?
Simply put Hogmanay is a celebration that welcomes in the New Year, although the exact origin of these celebrations is thought to go back thousands of years. Nowadays, Hogmanay in Edinburgh takes place over the course of four days and visitors are treated to a selection of performances, whether they are dance, music or theatre.
The Street Party that happens on New Year’s Eve is one of the most popular events of the whole of Hogmanay and is limited to 100,000 partygoers who need to buy tickets in advance. Many of the other events that are held over the course of the Hogmanay celebrations are free though, and a great way to enjoy a live concert or other performance.
If you’re not keen on standing around outdoors during a Scottish winter there are other events you can buy tickets for too. There are both indoor and outdoor Ceilidhs going on. These are more traditional forms of a disco in which everybody takes to the dance floor and has a great laugh!
The climax of the New Year’s Eve celebrations is a huge fireworks display that can be seen from many parts of the city, not just by those who are enjoying the Street Party.
To get rid of the cobwebs on New Year’s Day you can take part in another long standing tradition – a swim in the freezing River Forth! Hundreds of people do this every year, many of whom are dressed in fancy dress and do the swim for charity.
Visiting Edinburgh’s Hogmanay
On most years Hogmanay in Edinburgh is celebrated over the course of four days, and there are many different events going on. This means you don’t have to come to Edinburgh just for New Year’s Eve, you can make a longer trip out of it and spend several days or even a week taking in all the other sights of Edinburgh too.
If you want to join in the fun of the Street Party, or one of the other popular restricted entry events you’ll have to buy your tickets in advance. These can be bought from the Edinburgh Hogmanay Website which also includes all the details of exact schedules, performances, and more information on Hogmanay 2009/10.
Visiting Edinburgh for more than just the night is highly recommended, and there are plenty of great places to stay in Edinburgh, including hotels from budget to luxury, B&B’s, inns, and more!
Christopher Auriol is a Travel Specialist who works for TwilightBlue Travel. For further information about Hogmanay, or other European Travel Articles visit TwilightBlue. TwilightBlue also has a large number of Edinburgh hotels during Hogmanay in Edinburgh and the rest of the year.
Edinburgh Hogmanay – Torchlight Parade