First-footing is the Scottish New Year’s Eve and New Year custom of visiting friends after midnight with gifts.
The first-foot is the first person to enter a household after midnight, and tradition holds that this visitor can influence the household’s luck for the coming year. Typical gifts have included coal for warmth, shortbread or other food, salt, and whisky. The exact customs differ among families and regions.
Historically, some traditions considered a tall, dark-haired male visitor especially lucky, while a fair-haired or red-haired visitor could be treated differently in older folklore. These gender and hair-color ideas are traditional beliefs, not rules followed universally today. Modern first-footing is often simply a friendly round of visits.
The practice is associated with Hogmanay but is not the name of the entire Scottish New Year celebration. It also should not be confused with bringing a guest into a home before midnight: the defining moment is the first entry after the new year begins.