][1]Now that the small matter of Christmas is out of the way, we can start planning the party that really matters in Scotland: Hogmanay.
You can find out about all the big, official parties in Edinburgh and Glasgow here and here.
If you are in Glasgow and don’t fancy the George Square bash then Merchant Square are hosting their own hooley. Billing it as the only Hogmanay street party that the weather can’t spoil, they promise a full evening’s entertainment starting at 9pm.
Highlights include music from ceilidh-type band The Journeymen and a piper performing on the stroke of midnight.
‘Our Grand Hogmanay party is growing in popularity each year and, given the arctic conditions we’re all been experiencing this month, it comes as no surprise that tickets for this year’s party are being snapped up quicker than ever before,’ said Jenni Morrison, of Merchant City Properties.
The Merchant Square is home to many a 5pm restaurant including: Bar Square; Metropolitan; Arisaig and Bar Espagnol Mercado.
Tickets priced £20.00 are available from all participating venues.
In Edinburgh, Rick’s Bar has come up with a novel twist for New Year.
They are celebrating eight New Years in one night this Hogmanay as their party features a ‘Round the World’ cocktail extravaganza. The bar will be following the global clock as 2011 works its way around the different time zones.
Kicking off in Dubai at 8pm, the bar’s mixologists will be shaking up a unique cocktail every hour to represent each country.
So at 8pm UK time, it will be midnight in Dubai and the bar will be producing Blood and Sand cocktails. Midnight in the UK will be greeted with a whisky-based concoction called The Auld Lang Syne and, at 2am, if you’re still up for it, they will be mixing up Neat Brazilians, a blend of Sagitiba Velha, Yellow Chartreuse, Demerara sugar, and rich choc bitters.