In Scottish Hogmanay superstition, a dark-haired man is traditionally believed to bring luck as the first visitor of the New Year.
This custom is called first-footing. The first person to cross a household’s threshold after midnight is expected to bring symbolic gifts, such as coal for warmth, bread for food, salt, whisky, or a silver coin. A dark-haired male visitor was traditionally preferred, partly because historical folklore associated fair-haired strangers with Viking raiders.
First-footing developed as part of Scotland’s distinctive New Year celebrations, known as Hogmanay. Customs vary by region and family, so the visitor’s gifts and the exact rules are not universal.
The tradition is sometimes confused with simply being the first person awake or the first person to enter a house during the calendar year. Traditionally, the first-foot is specifically the first visitor after midnight, and the threshold crossing carries the symbolic meaning.