I'm attending a Boxing Day soccer match at Emirates and then have unplanned time through New Year's. There are so many options! Do I stay in London? Do I try to hop up to Scotland? I have not booked a flight yet but have one on hold that would be round trip out of Heathrow. Thanks in advance for your advice!
-Emily
Don't book flights out of London on Boxing Day as there may still be limited public transport to airports. There are very often railway engineering works on major routes between Christmas and New Year - check on http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/149383.aspx.
Edinburgh is a popular choice for NYE (I have not been at this time); see https://www.visitscotland.com/see-do/events/christmas-winter-festivals/hogmanay/.
Something different would be to see in the New Year watching the fireballs in the small town of Stonehaven (about two hours North of Edinburgh on the train). You'll get a much more local and somewhat pagan Scottish feel there when compared to Edinburgh and much cheaper too!
If in Scotland keep in mind there are no trains except those going to England on New Years Day.
