Next:
Hogmanay Scottish Gaelic Phrases
Oidhche Challainn
Hogmanay is called "Oidhche Challainn" in Scottish Gaelic. The phrase to know first is "Bliadhna Mhath Ùr!" (Happy New Year!).
Hogmanay in Scottish Gaelic is Oidhche Challainn, and the New Year greeting is Bliadhna Mhath Ùr, "a good new year". Here are the greetings, the traditional reply, a toast, and the Gaelic words for the Hogmanay customs.
Greetings
Bliadhna Mhath Ùr!
Happy New Year!
The standard greeting at midnight and through January. Literally "a good new year".
Bliadhna Ùr Mhath!
Happy New Year!
The same wish with the words in a different order.
Slàinte mhath!
Cheers!
The toast for raising a glass at the bells.
Replies
Is a leithid eile dhut agus mòran dhiubh!
The same to you, and many more!
The traditional reply to Bliadhna Mhath Ùr.
Mar sin leat fhèin!
The same to you!
A short reply that works for any good wish.
For cards and messages
Bliadhna Mhath Ùr agus a h-uile nì nas fheàrr na chèile!
Happy New Year and all the very best!
A longer wish for a card or a message.
Useful words
Oidhche na Bliadhna Ùire
Hogmanay, New Year's Eve
Literally "the night of the new year".
A' Challainn
New Year's Day
Also Là na Bliadhna Ùire.
ciad-chuairt
first-footing
The visit of the first guest after midnight.
Gillean Challainn
Hogmanay boys
The lads who went round the houses at Hogmanay, singing a verse for food or drink.
bonnach-Callainn
New Year's bannock
Bread baked for the New Year.
caisean-Callainn
strip of sheepskin used in New Year customs
Formerly used in the New Year rituals at the door.
The history of Oidhche Challainn
Gaelic calls New Year's Eve Oidhche na Bliadhna Ùire, "the night of the new year", or Oidhche Challainn, "the night of the calends". Christmas was kept very quietly in Scotland after the Reformation, and Hogmanay was by far the bigger winter festival. In some Gaelic areas, the gillean-Callainn (Hogmanay lads) went round the houses singing a Hogmanay verse and expected food or drink in return; in South Uist a special bannock was made for them. First-footing, being the first guest over the threshold after midnight, is still the most widespread custom.
Common questions
How do you say Happy New Year in Scottish Gaelic?
Bliadhna Mhath Ùr. The traditional reply is Is a leithid eile dhut agus mòran dhiubh, "the same to you, and many more".
What is Hogmanay in Gaelic?
Oidhche Challainn or Oidhche na Bliadhna Ùire. New Year's Day is A' Challainn.
Hogmanay in the other Celtic languages
Further reading
Scottish Gaelic is on blas. now
Grammar, mutations, vocabulary, and reading with spaced repetition. The Scottish Gaelic course is in the blas. app now.
Start learning Scottish GaelicScottish Gaelic phrases for the year ahead
Scottish Gaelic phrases for everyday occasions
Sources
Every phrase and fact on this page was checked against the sources below. Last checked 2026-10-20.
- Wikipedia
- Wikipedia
- LearnGaelic dictionary: entry 72058
- Digital Archive of Scottish Gaelic (DASG), University of Glasgow
- LearnGaelic dictionary: entry 4113
- blas. course data
- LearnGaelic dictionary: entry 51031
- LearnGaelic dictionary: entry 51117
- LearnGaelic dictionary: entry 4114
- LearnGaelic dictionary: entry 15369
- LearnGaelic dictionary: entry 19420
- LearnGaelic dictionary: entry 16671
- LearnGaelic dictionary: entry 33093
- Am Faclair Beag
- LearnGaelic dictionary: entry 72011
- LearnGaelic dictionary: entry 59281
- LearnGaelic dictionary: entry 79350
Credit: Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0.