The Scottish Hogmanay custom of visiting friends after midnight is called first-footing.
A first-footer is the first person to enter a household after midnight on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. Traditionally, the visitor brings symbolic gifts such as coal, shortbread, salt, or whisky. These items represent warmth, food, flavor, and good cheer for the year ahead.
In some versions of the tradition, a tall, dark-haired man was considered especially lucky as the first visitor. This belief has often been connected with older ideas about luck and with historical memories of Viking raids, though customs vary across Scotland and families.
First-footing is part of Hogmanay, Scotland's New Year festival. The word Hogmanay has an uncertain origin, and Scottish celebrations developed distinctive customs including singing “Auld Lang Syne,” fire rituals, and public street parties. Modern first-footing is usually less strict than older forms, but the central idea remains welcoming luck into the home through a first visit.