Haggis is on the menu as Invercargill's Scottish community gets set to celebrate Hogmanay this month.

Hogmanay is a traditional Scottish festival held to welcome in the new year, now celebrated by those with Scottish heritage all over the world.

St Andrew's Scottish Society Southland chieftain Bruce McNaughton said it was one of the most important events on the calendar for Scotsmen in centuries past.

''They used to put a lot of emphasis on the new year, the Scots. Hogmanay was their big celebration for the year.''

This year, St Andrew's Scottish Society Southland is hosting the Invercargill Hogmanay at the Scottish Hall.

Society chief Barbara Swain said the promise of a good supper, including the obligatory haggis, should attract a sizable crowd to the celebrations.

As well as the traditional food, a four-piece band would be on hand to provide music for old-time and sequence dancing.

There would definitely be ''no hip hop or anything like that'', Mr McNaughton said.

Although customary Scottish dress was not an entry requirement for the festivities, he predicted there would be an array of tartan in the crowd.

''There will be quite a few in kilts, I would think.''

The Hogmanay celebrations begin 8pm, New Year's Eve, at the Scottish Hall.

A $10 door charge applies.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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