Scotland's custom of being the first visitor after midnight is called first-footing.
A first-footer is the first person to enter a home after midnight on New Year's Day. Traditional beliefs hold that this visitor can affect the household's luck for the coming year. In many versions, the visitor brings symbolic gifts such as whisky, shortbread, coal, salt, or black bun, representing warmth, food, prosperity, and hospitality.
Traditions differ by locality and family. Some accounts emphasize a tall, dark-haired male visitor, while modern celebrations are generally less strict about the visitor's identity. The custom is associated with Hogmanay and remains one of Scotland's most recognizable New Year practices.
First-footing is not simply the act of greeting someone outdoors. It specifically concerns crossing the threshold as the first visitor after the new year begins, which is why household timing matters.