Hogmanay Is The Scottish New Year Experience‏

     Have you booked that trip for New Year's Eve yet? Please don't tell me you're just going to do the standard hanging out with family and friends at home? Why don't you just bite the bullet and travel to some place you have never been?. I know of a brilliant place for a New Year's Eve celebration. That place is Edinburgh in Scotland. So what happens there I hear you ask? It is home of the annual Scottish New Year's festival, Hogmanay. 

Hogmanay

     I am here to tell you that Hogmanay is a fantastic experience and a must-do for everyone on New Year's Eve. Whether it is the people, the food or the party itself, if you just get off your butt and book a trip there you will have a brilliant time. Did I tell you that the word Hogmanay means the "last day of the year" in Scottish? Well I guess not, but anyway, Edinburgh is easily one of the best places to welcome in the New Year. Personally I think it is not only the best in the UK but easily the best in the world. So what is the origin of this Hogmanay festival I hear you ask? Well some historians say that the Vikings actually invented the Hogmanay celebrations because the actual eve of New Year was an important event to the vikings. So I guess it was only natural that they would want to celebrate with a big shindig on New Year's Eve! What about the word Hogmanay, where is that from? Well some say Flemish, some say Scandinavian, some people even say it is Anglo-Saxon. Well I have got no idea, I just know that it is a wicked party. Having personally experienced the New Year's Eve celebration of Hogmanay in Scotland, I can confidently say it is a breath-taking event. The fireworks in the night skies, the dancing and the music among others give you everything you are looking for in a New Year's Eve. 

Hogmanay - Edinburgh

     For a moment it felt like I was on a different planet and just wanted the party to continue. I was particularly surprised with the large number of people who attended. I'm thinking there were over 250,000 partygoers from all around the world. I was there with an American friend, Mike, and you could see the smile and happiness in his face at how awesome the night was. Edinburgh does not only offer the beauty of welcoming a new year but also has some astonishing hotels. If you are travelling to Hogmanay there are plenty of accommodation options, but it is probably your best bet to book early. Having booked our hotel early and staying for four days, Mike and I got a great deal at the 5 Star Sheraton Grand Hotel located near to the Edinburgh Centre and the famous Edinburgh Castle. The accommodation at the Sheraton Grand Hotel was fantastic. The services were good and the staff were really friendly. This made us felt like we were at home. Mike and I tried plenty of traditional Scottish foods whilst we were at Hogmanay. The cold night means that the food should be served hot and we even gave the Haggis a run. It wasn't for me, but Mike went back for seconds. 

     Maybe just give it a go for yourself and see what you think. If you like sweets I actually had some of the best shortbread I have ever had. There was plenty of different drinks on offer at Hogmanay, but of course Scotch whisky is the drink of Scotland. You know what they say, "When In Rome"! But hey, Scotch is not only enjoyed in Scotland but across the world. I actually think Scotch is my new favourite drink! I just love really good Scotch, the taste is incredible. There are so many tour groups out there that organise Hogmanay tours as well. So if you aren't the type to book stuff yourself, and if you want to go with a tour group, then do a search on the net and Im sure you will find one that will suit your budget and needs. 

     Also, if you're looking at travelling with a whole group of people then you should definitely hook up with a Hogmanay tour group. Travelling as a group can be the best experience. There was plenty of things happening at Hogmanay, but there is nothing like singing Auld Lang Syne at midnight in the country where the song originated. It really was an amazing experience. Hogmanay offers a magic way for you to kick in the New Year in style. You definitely will not regret it.