Hogmanay is the Scottish term for New Year’s Eve, accompanied by large gatherings and festivities.
Although hogmanay celebrations will attract tens of thousands of celebrants in a number of Scottish cities, the word is not in widespread currency in the US, causing many users to search for the word’s meaning.
The origins of the word are obscure. In addition to referring to New Year’s Eve, hogmanay can also refer to a gift solicited or given at a hogmanay celebration. These gifts often took the form of oatcakes, given to children who would go door to door, crying ‘Hogmanay’ as a way of demanding them.
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
