Remember last month when Scotland legalized marriage equality? Scotland has always been a country I wanted to visit and the recent news out of the country just made me realize it was time to visit. Finally. You see, Scotland has been on my so-called “bucket list” for years.

First there was Harry Potter. Any book nerd like myself knows the connections between Edinburgh and JK Rowling.

Then, in my post-college days, I was a whisky drinker (without the “e” — the Scottish way) so Scotland frequently popped up on my mind. I always thought I’d be a whisky connoisseur, but then I discovered I just didn’t have the patience to be a pretentious snob.

And then it was music. I got hooked on more than a few Scottish bands throughout college and my early 20s. The Fratellis, Belle & Sebastian, Glasvegas, The View, Idlewild, Franz Ferdinand. OMG the music!

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I’ve been invited to celebrate New Year’s Eve this year in Edinburgh. Though in Scotland, they call it Hogmanay. The last day of the year is celebrated with strange Scottish traditions (including a dip into freezing cold water), fireworks and, in Edinburgh, a street party with live music. This year it’s the Pet Shop Boys headlining but al

What is Hogmanay?

This whole Hogmanay celebration seems like a lot of fun. From live music to torchlight processions, fireworks to the “loony dook” (a large group of people who happily jump into the river) — Hogmanay is meant to be all about fun.

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 2013/14 from Edinburgh’s Hogmanay on Vimeo.

This New Year’s Eve should be an unforgettable experience! Be sure to follow the hashtag #blogmanay on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for updates!

#Blogmanay is brought to you by Edinburgh’s Hogmanay and is supported by ETAG, EventScotland, Homecoming Scotland, VisitScotland, Edinburgh Festivals, Marketing Edinburgh and co-creators Haggis Adventures. Created and produced by Unique Events. As always, all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.