First-Foot

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). [cite book |last=Simpson |first=Jacqueline |coauthors=Steve Roud |title=A dictionary of English Folklore |year=2000 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=0-19-210019-X] 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.

Good luck is believed to be brought to the house by the First-Foot, and a female First-Foot is regarded with dread. In Lancashire a light-haired man is as unlucky as a woman, and it became a custom for a dark-haired male to be the one and only first-foot. In Worcestershire luck is ensured by stopping the first carol-singer who appears and leading him through the house. In Yorkshire it must always be a male who enters the house first, but his fairness is no objection.

The first-foot usually brings a gift of coal and salt. In the North they bring coal, a drink (usually Whisky) 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. In Scotland first-footing was always more elaborate than in England, involving a subsequent entertainment.

Also in Greek culture, first-foot has a significant place among Christmas customs. Thus, it is believed that the first person to enter the house on New Year's Eve brings either good luck or bad luck. Many households to this day keep this tradition and specially select who enters first into the house. After the first-foot, also called "podariko" from "podi" which means foot, the lady of the house serves the guests with Christmas treats to ensure that good luck will come in the New Year.

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