Talk:First-foot

Hair colour
My family is from Scarborough in the North Riding of Yorkshire. My father was popular as a first footer because he was dark haired which contradicts the article. It is most likely that the tradition varies across the county (perhaps following the dialect changes). Additionally it was also considered lucky for the first footer to carry a lump of coal in his pocket (perhaps because of the dark colour?).''
 * in the Scottish Borders, Selkirkshire, exactly the same: dark haired with a lump of coal.Kildwyke (talk) 18:36, 31 December 2018 (UTC)

1954 Scottish cookbook talks about some Hogmanay traditions
See this comment: Talk:Hogmanay 66.102.205.172 (talk) 15:50, 22 December 2009 (UTC)

First foot traditional?
scottish field states first footing initially took place on christmas day not hogmany due to cromwell banning christmas and christ's mass 400 years ago; was transfered to hogmany later when christmas no longer banned Rebridda (talk) 22:53, 4 January 2010 (UTC)rebridda

Greek Tradition
Some people in Greece believe that the "podariko" is valid once it is performed by the first person who enters the house, as long as this person is not a resident of the house. If residents of the house return next morning, or exit and re-enter is not a podariko. Even after days, and no matter how many residents have gone through the door, the first non-resident to enter the house is considered to perform the podariko. The time of the podariko (January 1st or any other day) is not considered to be important. I mention this to separate this tradition from other traditions. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 46.12.107.190 (talk) 18:13, 31 December 2013 (UTC)

Other parts of the UK
I'm wary of allowing the portion on Worcestershire to stay as is. For a start, I can't find any reference of this online, but it's possible that my searching has not been extensive enough. Also, carol singing at New Year's is not a custom in the UK, at least nothing that I've ever heard of or seen. Perhaps New Year's carol singing is unique to Worcestershire. Twistedpiper (talk) 04:14, 16 September 2018 (UTC)

There must be a legend
Every custom has s legendary story, why isn't there one for this? I suggest there is: it's just that it got banned. People will continue suppressed rituals in private and, if asked, excuse them as something else and move them around the calendar. Details of Hogmanay parallel Samhain, the Celtic new year; in preparation for which firewood was gathered, they went door-to-door reciting verses in exchange for food and, when the ritual fires were lit, one could cross the boundary to the next world. Kildwyke (talk) 22:15, 31 December 2018 (UTC)
 * The parallels are:
 * taking in the lump of coal = gathering fuel for the ritual fire
 * knocking on door, being fed = going door-to-door, being given food
 * crying Happy New Year, singing Auld Lang Syne etc. = reciting ritual verses
 * opening of the door and going over the threshold = the boundary crossed
 * going from old year to new year = crossing to The World to Come

Red hair preferred in Scotland - incorrect
Not only have I never heard of the idea that red-headed men are preferred, despite living in many parts of Scotland, but the actual [https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/The-History-of-Hogmanay/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CFirst%20footing%E2%80%9D%20(or%20the,a%20wee%20dram%20of%20whisky). sources] used for that paragraph both state a dark haired male is preferred.

And yet recent history shows someone reverted that fix after it was already made, evidently without reading the actual sources quoted... 37.235.43.17 (talk) 03:22, 28 February 2023 (UTC)


 * Disregard the second paragraph, turns out I just can't read the diff correctly and the comment about reverting was related to the change before.
 * With regards to what I'm talking about it looks like someone just made a random change recently to flip the colours red and black around. 37.235.43.17 (talk) 03:26, 28 February 2023 (UTC)