First footing has it died out?

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

"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.

nexus63

when i was a teenager late 70s, the house was cleaned from top to bottom, steak pie meal was made, we all dressed up and at midnight the windows and door was opened, a neighbour would come calling with a piece of coal (we had coal fires) and would sit and have a drink, the only thing i still do is open the windows and the door to let the old year out, one i am happy to do this year, diagnosed with cancer and a week later my partner died, so it has been a difficult year, i live near the clyde and i can hear any ships blowing there horns, a sound i love.

Sorry to hear this and hope you have family around to help you. You will be glad to see 2021 away as many on this forum will be.
We too had this tradition and went round all the neighbours houses. We had kale soup before the bells to "line our stomach'! Don't know if it did. One year I never went to bed and walked to work on 1st January! Now we stay up, watch fireworks on TV, message DS (daughters both have young children so just go to bed) and also go to bed. Sometimes DH sister phones from Australia. DH had stroke in February so will probably just go to bed this year.

I'm London born and bred, but my dad was always chucked outside a couple of minutes before midnight and only allowed back in when we heard Big Ben chime. The boats on the Thames would sound their horns and it has always made me weepy. Dad had black hair back then and brought a piece of coal, a loaf of bread, a silver coin, and a twist of salt. Now I live further out, still London, but at midnight my windows are thrown open, I listen for the boats on the Thames and toast my parents. I think that tradition will die with me, my children have their own traditions.

Amberone

When we moved here our tall, dark neighbour used to first foot for all the houses in our little group. Now all the men here are bald or grey ?

??? Brilliant! Just brilliant.

I might borrow someone, eg Bertie Carvel.
Just in case DH has nodded off, you understand ?

Calistemon

You could buy him some Grecian 2000 for Christmas, Maggiemaybe

I've just realised how silver DH is now!

Well I quite like his silver fox look, Calistemon. But I might just give him a good squirt of my Batiste brunette dry shampoo as I push guide him out on NYE, just to make sure he meets the personnel spec.

Bohemian my upbringing was the same as yours 1950s East End I would like to carry that tradition on but my north London DH thinks it's mad. So it's the golf club for us pretending we are all on an ocean going liner. How mad is that?

You could buy him some Grecian 2000 for Christmas, Maggiemaybe

I've just realised how silver DH is now!

I still wave my DH (more silver these days but in our minds still dark) out of the back door just before midnight, and welcome him in at the front door once the countdown to the New Year has finished. He brings with him the first-footing bag containing salt, a piece of bread, a shiny £1 coin and a match to represent warmth (we ran out of coal years ago!). And a bottle of whiskey. Then we toast the New Year with an expensive drink (no beer allowed!), as this sets the tone for what we’ll enjoy in the next 12 months.

I grew up in a street of terraced houses, just before midnight all the men would gather on the corner then when the bells rang for the new year would go and First Foot their own houses, my grandmother lived next door to us and the whole family would gather at her house, I was always allowed a small glass of sherry. We still keep the tradition, every New Year DH is pushed outside with a lump of coal ( kept especially for NY) loaf of bread and candle then rings the bell at midnight, we usually have friends round so a good time is had by all.

paddyann54

Tall Dark strangers brought their luck with them a throwback to the blond Vikings that brought fear

Oh, was that it?
My Mum used to do it because my Dad was blond!

BlueBelle

Why was it someone dark haired where does that come from ?

I don't know, but yes, it had to be someone with dark hair, out of one door to let the Old Year out, round the side and into another door carrying bread, salt and coal to let the New Year in. It made sure you wouldn't be without food, warmth and money in the next year, I think.

nexus hope 2022 is a better year for you

we had to go out the back door and bring a new piece of coal through the front door
presumably it is related in some way

So sorry to hear that nexus. I hope 2022 is a better year for you.

when i was a teenager late 70s, the house was cleaned from top to bottom, steak pie meal was made, we all dressed up and at midnight the windows and door was opened, a neighbour would come calling with a piece of coal (we had coal fires) and would sit and have a drink, the only thing i still do is open the windows and the door to let the old year out, one i am happy to do this year, diagnosed with cancer and a week later my partner died, so it has been a difficult year, i live near the clyde and i can hear any ships blowing there horns, a sound i love.

When we moved here our tall, dark neighbour used to first foot for all the houses in our little group. Now all the men here are bald or grey ?

Tall Dark strangers brought their luck with them a throwback to the blond Vikings that brought fear

Our Hogmany was very like yours Yammy. My Mum came from a large family and it was to ours they all came on Hogmanay although we had the smallest home (2 rooms, scullery and outside toilet). Mum had the place spotless as everything had to be cleaned for the new year coming and food laid out - the children's was laid out in a corner on a pooffe if I remember right. A couple of her brothers could play accordian and fiddle and another could do a tune or two on my piano. No fancy drinks around - whisky or sherry. One of our neighbours used to come in with a bottle of whisky and sat with it between his legs all night never unscrewing the top but never refused a glass or two when it came his way!! When I reached my teens it was where we all ended up too but no live music by then but we had a "radiogram" which was a great attraction. Great memories!! It has died out now really with most house lights going out before "the bells".

Why was it someone dark haired where does that come from ?