In Scotland, the New Year's Eve custom of visiting friends first after midnight is called first-footing.
A first-footer is the first person to enter a household after midnight on New Year's Day. Traditionally, the visitor brings symbolic gifts such as coal for warmth, shortbread for food, salt for prosperity, or whisky for good cheer. The visit is meant to influence the household's luck in the year ahead.
In older Scottish custom, a tall, dark-haired man was often considered the luckiest first-footer, while local beliefs about who brought good or bad fortune varied. The visitor might also be expected to arrive through the front door and leave by another route, although practices differ by region and family.
First-footing is distinct from Edinburgh's Hogmanay festival. Hogmanay is Scotland's broader New Year celebration, while first-footing describes the household visiting tradition that can take place during it.