Which Scottish song is traditionally used for the New Year's Eve “first-footing” custom?

“Auld Lang Syne” is the Scottish song traditionally used alongside New Year's Eve first-footing celebrations.

First-footing is a Scottish custom in which the first person to enter a home after midnight is associated with the household's luck for the coming year. The visitor may bring symbolic gifts such as food, drink, coal, or salt. In some traditions, a tall, dark-haired male visitor was considered especially lucky, although modern practice varies widely and is often more informal.

“Auld Lang Syne” is commonly sung as the old year ends and the new year begins, making it a familiar musical companion to first-footing. The custom itself is distinct from the song: first-footing concerns the first household visitor, while the song expresses remembrance and friendship. The tradition is particularly associated with Scotland and northern England, though New Year's singing and visiting customs have spread internationally.