First footing

From Traditional Witchcraft Wiki Project

First-Footing, in British folklore, especially that of the north and Scotland, is the first person who crosses the threshold after midnight at the end of New Year's Eve (in other words, the first person to enter the house on New Year's Day). Although it is acceptable in many places for the first-footer to be a resident of the house, they must not be in the house at the stroke of midnight in order to first-foot. Thus going out of the house after midnight and then coming back in to the same house is not considered to be first-footing.

The first-foot usually brings a gift of coal and salt. In the North they bring coal, a drink (usually Whisky or ale) and should have some money in their pocket. The coal representing "warmth" for the year ahead and the salt representing "flavour". A drink is to offer the host, and money is to bring wealth and happiness to the house. Often bread is regarded as a good sign, indicating that the household won't go hungry in the year to come.