The Scottish New Year’s Eve custom in which the first visitor after midnight brings luck is called first-footing.
A first-footer is traditionally the first person to enter a household after midnight on New Year’s Day. Scottish folklore holds that the visitor’s arrival can influence the household’s fortune for the coming year. The visitor may bring symbolic gifts such as coal for warmth, shortbread for food, salt, or whisky for hospitality.
Traditional beliefs sometimes preferred a tall, dark-haired male as the first-footer, while a fair-haired man or a woman could be viewed less favorably in older regional folklore. Modern celebrations are generally more inclusive and focus on friendship, visiting, and hospitality.
First-footing is associated with Hogmanay, Scotland’s New Year celebration, but the two terms are not interchangeable. Hogmanay names the broader celebration; first-footing describes this specific visiting custom.