Scottish Traditions Scotland has been handing down its traditions for close to a thousand years now, since the earliest days of the clans in the 12th century. However, Scottish traditions are not something sterile under glass and steel in a cold museum. Hogmanay (pronounced hog-ma-NAY) is the Scottish holiday that celebrates the new year. The greeting in Scottish Language Dictionaries' Christmas card is usually 'Guid Yule' and as we approach this season, the word itself might trigger memories for you. Observed on December 31, festivities typically spill over into the first couple of days of January. Scottish Traditions Yule.