The first person traditionally welcomed into a Scottish home after midnight on Hogmanay is called the first-footer.
First-footing is the custom of being the first visitor to cross a household's threshold after the New Year begins. The visitor may bring symbolic gifts such as coal for warmth, shortbread for food, salt, or whisky for hospitality. The household welcomes the first-footer because the visit is thought to influence the family's luck in the coming year.
Traditional descriptions sometimes favor a tall, dark-haired male visitor, while a fair-haired first visitor could be regarded as unlucky in older folklore because of memories of Viking raids. Modern practice varies widely and is usually a friendly social custom rather than a strict rule.
The term “first-foot” can refer both to the visitor and to the act of making the first visit. It should not be confused with ordinary guests who arrive later on New Year's Day. The defining detail is crossing the threshold after midnight as the household's first visitor.