Scotland is unique among the nations of the British Isles in the passionate way it celebrates its New Year — Hogmanay. People flood city and town centres, many of the men in kilts, some sporting fancy dress, others in funny wigs, all determined to see in the New Year in an unforgettable way. Hogmanay’s roots are believed to lie deep in the pagan worship of the sun and fire, but no one quite knows where the word originates from. Scotland’s two main cities, Edinburgh and Glasgow, have up to 100,000 revellers each on New Year’s Eve! The event in Edinburgh is ticketed because in 1996/97 300,000 people turned up and there were safety concerns. For people in Scotland, or the rest of Britain who want to take a trip north at the end of December, it is essential to book early. Hotels and guest houses are fully booked weeks in advance. Scotland is full of wonderful country hotels (many connected to picturesque golf courses) so one option is to book somewhere not too far from Edinburgh, and travel in for the New Year shindig. The shopping in both cities is exceptional, and if people don’t fancy a long train or car journey to Scotland from England or Wales, there are airports such as Edinburgh, Glasgow, or Aberdeen, that you could fly in to. The Six Nations rugby tournament in February and March is a great time to choose a lively weekend for a Hen or a Stag party in Scotland. When the Wales rugby team has been riding high in the championship it has been known for up to 30,000 Welsh supporters to flood into Scotland to savour the weekend. Halloween and Bonfire Night on October 31 and November 5 are big party dates too, then after the Christmas period it’s time to get ready for Hogmanay again!