The Scottish Hogmanay custom of welcoming the first visitor after midnight is called first-footing.
The first-foot is the first person to enter a household after midnight on New Year’s Eve. In traditional belief, that visitor’s arrival can influence the household’s luck for the coming year. Guests commonly bring symbolic gifts such as food, drink, coal, or salt, representing warmth, prosperity, and hospitality.
Older customs sometimes considered the appearance and hair color of the first-foot important, with a dark-haired male visitor traditionally regarded in some regions as especially lucky. Practices vary, and modern celebrations generally focus more on friendship and visiting than on strict rules about who must arrive first.
First-footing is one part of Hogmanay, Scotland’s New Year celebration. It is distinct from the torchlight processions and street parties held in some Scottish cities. The word Hogmanay itself refers broadly to the Scottish New Year festivities rather than to this single household custom.