Are you going first
footing after midnight?
Whisky is always involved
We Scots are famously good at celebrating the arrival of a new year. Although nowadays Hogmanay is more associated with drinking oneself into oblivion and dancing the night away in cold streets or cosy pubs, the mid-winter celebration is ingrained in the history and identity of the nation.
For centuries, Hogmanay was much more important for Scots than Christmas. Originally this was due to the Protestant Reformation, which dampened appeal for the predominantly Catholic celebration of Jesus' birth, and later due to the lack of holiday time granted to workers in the Industrial Revolution.
Coal represents warmth
But it goes deeper than that. Hogmanay was borne out of the ancient rituals and customs determined by the working of the land and the passing of the seasons, and before the significance of the end-of-year factor, it was celebrated as the Pagan winter solstice.
Central to Hogmanay is the tradition of first footing. Although versions of first footing exist in Northern England, nowhere has it been taken more seriously than Scotland.
Shortbread represents food
The superstition dictates that the first caller to cross the threshold after midnight ('the bells') will determine the fortunes, good or bad, of the householders for the coming year.
To be a good first footer, you should:
• Be a man. Female first footers were historically regarded with dread.
• Be dark-haired. Fair-haired first footers were feared equally feared – light-complexioned callers in the night were not particularly welcome after the Viking invasions of ancient times.
• Be tall. This is not strictly necessary.
• Be fair (handsome). This probably began as a request from the female inhabitants and, again, exceptions can be made.
In addition, to first foot a household empty-handed is considered grossly discourteous (never mind unlucky) and could result in a heavy door in the face.
Traditionally, a first footer would bring a lump of coal (for warmth), salt (for wealth), a Black Bun (a rich fruit cake – for food) and a 'hawf bottle' (usually whisky, always alcoholic – for obvious reasons).
Salt represents wealth
The 'tall, dark stranger' element of first footing is becoming increasingly outdated, as it's now more common for family members to call on each other. Many people do still venture out into the chilly night, stumbling from house to house with a bottle of Scotch and a tin of shortbread, hoping to find a warm log fire, even if an electric is more common these days.
So forget the stereotype of Scots as mean-spirited and thrifty. For one night of the year we go out of our way to be generous and sociable, and once a year is better than never.
