The Scottish New Year custom in which the first visitor brings luck to a home is called first-footing.
A first footer is the first person to enter a house after midnight on New Year’s Eve. Traditional gifts may include coal for warmth, shortbread for food, salt, silver, or whisky. The visitor’s arrival is meant to bring prosperity and good fortune to the household during the year ahead.
In some versions of the tradition, a tall, dark-haired man is considered the luckiest first footer. This preference is often explained through older historical associations with Viking raiders, whose arrival was feared. However, customs differ by region, period, and family, and modern first-footing is usually a friendly social visit rather than a strict rule.
First-footing is part of Hogmanay, Scotland’s broader New Year celebration. It should not be confused with simply visiting relatives during the holiday: the custom specifically concerns the first entrant after midnight.