In Scotland Christmas has been celebrated with considerably less exuberance than elsewhere in the British Isles although that has changed latterly.
The
Scots have always reserved their merriment for New Year's Eve, which they call
Hogmanay.
The
word Hogmanay is believed to derive from a kind of oatcake that was given to
children on New Year's Eve as part of the tradition.
The
“first footer” is the first person to set foot across the threshold in a house
after midnight on New Year’s Eve.
The
superstition is thought to profoundly affect the fortunes of the inhabitants it
should if possible be a stranger preferably dark-haired but fair-haired is ok
if that’s all you can get.
This
tradition is generally known as "first footing."
