The Scottish New Year's Eve custom of being the first person to enter a home after midnight is called first-footing.
In this tradition, the first person to cross the threshold after midnight is believed to influence the household's luck for the coming year. A first-footer may bring symbolic gifts such as food, drink, coal, salt, or a coin, representing warmth, prosperity, and hospitality.
Traditional folklore sometimes considered a tall, dark-haired man especially lucky as the first visitor. Customs differ by region and family, and modern celebrations often treat first-footing as a social ritual rather than a strict superstition.
First-footing is one part of Scotland's wider Hogmanay observances. Hogmanay is the Scottish New Year's celebration as a whole, while first-footing specifically describes the midnight visiting custom. The two terms are therefore related but not interchangeable.