The traditional Scottish custom involving the first person to enter a home after midnight is called first-footing.
The first-foot is the first person to cross a household’s threshold after midnight on New Year’s Eve. Tradition holds that this visitor can influence the household’s luck for the coming year, so a cheerful guest carrying useful gifts is especially welcome.
Common symbolic gifts include coal for warmth, shortbread for food, salt for flavor, and whisky for good cheer. In some versions, the first-foot was traditionally a tall, dark-haired man, although modern practice is much less rigid.
First-footing forms part of Hogmanay, Scotland’s New Year festival. It is not the same as simply being the first guest at a party: the custom centers on entering a home after the year has changed and bringing a sign of prosperity.