First footing has it died out?

"All the best for 2022 Nexus"'I hope you get better and you find peace and contentment. You will certainly be glad to see the back of 2021 . I wish I could still hear the ships blowing. Ours along with the mines have all gone. Open the doors and window wide let 2021 out.

As a young child in the 50s in London we had Scottish neighbours. I was dark haired so I was always the First Footer, knocking on their door at midnight with a lump of coal, a small bowl of salt, and a piece of bread, and usually a box of chocolates or shortbread. They welcomed us very warmly (the husband in his kilt) and the New Year celebrations began. The alcohol flowed freely for the next few (several) hours to the sound of Scottish reels on the radio or Andy Stewart on TV. The furniture was rearranged to make room for dancing and stories of New Years past were retold. It was something I looked forward to after the slightly flat feeling that followed Boxing Day.

Eventually I was old enough to celebrate the New Year with my own friends which was very different - I won't even mention Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and the fountains!! But I always remember those First Footing years with great pleasure.

My brother was the darkest in our family and always did the first footing.
I felt sorry for him as he would get the blame from my mum if we had a bad year.

First Footing is still alive and well at my son-in-law's family in Scotland.

I’m another one who grew up in Scotland and my memories of Hogmanay are much the same as those already mentioned. My Granny and Grandad lived below us, and it was their two roomed house that was first footed. There was always a big pot of home-made soup and a big pot of stovies on the go. The main meal on the 1st was always steak pie, mashed tatties and veg.
I think one of the reasons for first footing not being so prevalent nowadays stems from the fact that extended families often no longer live close to each other. When I was wee, my Granny had three married sisters plus their families all living within 15/20 minutes walking distance. Grandad also had family near-by. Plus, at least in my case, families are much smaller.

My poor fiance, being tall and dark was "booked" to first foot my mother's neighbours. Time was of the essence so he had to rapidly visit each home with the requisite black bun, coal and a bottle of whisky, toast the new year with the family before moving on to the next.
By 1 am he would be back feeling a bit the worse for wear and somewhat confused as not being Scottish he had no experience of our traditions.

My parents would send the person with the darkest hair out of the house with a piece of coal in their hand. I think the tradition ended when we followed everyone else acquiring a modern gas fire.