The Scottish custom of being the first person to enter a home after midnight is called first-footing.
The first-foot is the first visitor to cross a household's threshold after midnight on New Year's Day. Scottish tradition holds that the visitor's arrival can influence the household's luck for the year. The custom is usually discussed as part of Hogmanay, Scotland's broader New Year's celebration.
A traditional first-footer may bring symbolic gifts. Coal represents warmth, salt represents flavor or prosperity, shortbread represents food, and whisky represents hospitality. In some regional versions, a tall, dark-haired man is considered a particularly lucky visitor, while a first-footer who arrives empty-handed may be viewed less favorably.
The details are not uniform across Scotland and have changed over time. First-footing is a household custom rather than a single centrally organized event. It is also distinct from simply visiting friends on New Year's Day: the traditional significance comes from being the first person to enter after the midnight threshold.