Nicola Sturgeon has effectively ruled out Scots being able to attend traditional Hogmanay parties next month.
The First Minister said today the New Year period was not part of the four-nations discussions on how to ease lockdown restrictions in late December.
The focus would instead be on allowing people to meet indoors in small numbers around Christmas.
The SNP leader said when it came to relaxing the rules next month, ministers "couldn't do everything" and warned a ban on indoor household gatherings could be back in place by Hogmanay.
Speaking at her daily media briefing in Edinburgh, Sturgeon said: "We have to consider that the tradition of Hogmanay and New Year's Day dinner is more established in Scotland than other parts of the UK, but I do not expect we will be announcing any particular relaxations over the New Year period.
"And why not? Because we can't do everything. Christmas is hard enough.
"Why Christmas and not New Year? Well, Christmas is a more important time for kids. Christmas is likely to be when families don't want to leave someone on their own.
"We can't do everything right now.
"People have to understand that Christmas may be a big enough ask for us, and may involve difficult enough decisions without extending to another part of the festive period."
