First-footing is the Scottish New Year custom in which the first visitor to a home affects its fortunes.
The first person to cross a household’s threshold after midnight is called the first-foot. Traditional beliefs hold that this visitor’s arrival can influence the household’s luck for the coming year. Guests commonly bring symbolic gifts such as food, drink, coal, or salt, representing warmth, nourishment, hospitality, or prosperity.
Traditionally, a tall, dark-haired man was considered a particularly lucky first-foot in some Scottish communities. Customs vary by region and household, and modern celebrations often treat the practice as a friendly social tradition rather than a strict prediction of fortune.
First-footing is associated with Hogmanay, the Scottish New Year celebration. Hogmanay is the wider festival, while first-footing is one custom within it. Auld Lang Syne is a song commonly sung at New Year and is not the name of this threshold ritual.