Hogmanay is the Scottish New Year's Eve event traditionally associated with the custom of first-footing.
First-footing means being the first person to enter a household after midnight or after the New Year begins. Scottish tradition holds that the first visitor can influence the household's luck. A traditional first-footer might bring symbolic gifts such as coal for warmth, shortbread for food, whisky for hospitality, or salt for prosperity.
The custom is part of Hogmanay, Scotland's broader New Year celebration, which includes singing, visiting, bonfires, concerts, and local customs. In some traditions, a tall, dark-haired male visitor was considered especially lucky, although practices vary by region and family.
First-footing is not the same as Edinburgh's organized street party. It is a household visiting custom found within the wider celebration. The word Hogmanay itself has a debated origin, and historians have proposed several possible linguistic sources.