New Year in the UK: The Date, the Traditions and What to Send

September 6, 2026

New Year's Eve falls on 31 December and New Year's Day on 1 January, which is a bank holiday across the UK. In Scotland 2 January is a bank holiday too, because Hogmanay has historically been the bigger event north of the border.

It is one of the few occasions where the card is optional but genuinely welcome — a lot of people send one instead of a Christmas card, or as a late catch-up with anyone they missed in December.

Here is what the day actually marks, the traditions that go with it, and the simplest ways to send something that isn't a group text at midnight.

The dates

This essential timeline suits organised planners who want to coordinate their festive mail and bank holiday lie-ins. Use these key milestones to map out your long weekends and avoid postal delays during the festive rush. As a helpful tip, keep a sheet of first-class stamps handy during your Christmas shopping so you can send your greetings without having to join any busy post office queues.

New Year's Eve: 31 December.
New Year's Day: 1 January, a bank holiday across the UK.
2 January is an additional bank holiday in Scotland.
Post New Year cards between Boxing Day and 30 December so they land in time.

UK traditions worth knowing

These beautiful customs suit anyone hosting a gathering or welcoming friends to their home as the clock strikes midnight. Use them to add a touch of authentic charm to your celebrations, whether you are hosting in England or joining festivities north of the border. For a simple tip, print out the lyrics to classic songs beforehand so your guests can join in confidently when the music starts.

Hogmanay is the Scottish name for New Year's Eve and the celebrations around it.
First footing: the first person through the door after midnight, traditionally bringing coal, shortbread or whisky.
Auld Lang Syne, sung at midnight, comes from a Robert Burns poem.
Fireworks and bells at midnight, with the London and Edinburgh displays televised.
Resolutions, made in good faith on 1 January and quietly abandoned by February.

What to write in a New Year card

These messages suit anyone catching up with loved ones they missed during the busy Christmas rush or wishing to start the year with a smile. Use these ideas when writing your cards in the quiet days before January begins. To make your greeting extra special, try adding a personal memory from the past twelve months and propose a specific date to get together in the coming months.

Here's to a year with fewer surprises and better weather.
Happy New Year. Same nonsense, new calendar.
Wishing you a brilliant year ahead — let's actually meet up in it this time.
Thanks for getting me through last year. Here's to the next one.
Happy New Year. May your resolutions last until at least the second week.

Key things to remember

Send it between Boxing Day and 30 December if you want it to arrive before midnight.
Mention one good thing from the year just gone; it beats a generic wish.
For work contacts, keep it to a thank you and a line about the year ahead.

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Frequently asked questions

When is New Year's Day?

1 January, and it is a bank holiday across the whole of the UK.

What is Hogmanay?

The Scottish word for New Year's Eve and the celebrations around it, traditionally a bigger event in Scotland than Christmas.

Do people send New Year cards in the UK?

Some do, often instead of a Christmas card or as a late reply to one. They are also common for business contacts and clients.

What is a good example of new Year explained: the date, the traditions and what to send?

"New Year's Eve: 31 December." is one of 14 examples on this page. Pick the one closest to the tone you want, then add a specific detail of your own - a shared memory, a date, a name - so it reads as yours rather than copied.