Hogmanay and first footing
Re: Hogmanay
My late father, Chuck Stewart, was a “First Footer”. We were told the person had to be dark haired, had to be the first person to visit on New Year’s Day to bring good luck to that household for the coming year.
They had to enter the house through the front door. Not something normally done, front door was not used on a daily basis. Lumps of real coal were exchanged before the drink was supplied.
One friend said he had the best years, when Dad was a first footer. We called it first footing.
Barbara L. Liske
Lake Cowichan