Who lets your New Year in?

[bishop]

My son will probably the the first one over the threshold - drunk after a party, quite tall (6ft ish) mousy coloured hair....
Whats all this about coal and whisky?? (Remember I am a southerner! )

the coal was for good luck, to make sure the house would always be warm,

[Snadger]

More than likely the dog, not going anywhere we've just rented a film (Inception) I'm going to crack open a couple of cans and have a tot of the very nice brandy the father in-law gave me Christmas day.

Happy New Year All x

Chris

Hope you enjoy the film! After you've watched it you can possibly tell me what its about as I've watched it and I haven't got a clue!

[Bren In Pots]

It will probably be me after I've been to out pick up the newspaper.

[Currysniffa]

Hope you enjoy the film! After you've watched it you can possibly tell me what its about as I've watched it and I haven't got a clue!

Errr sorry can't help you there lol I enjoyed the film thought it was a bit like 12 monkeys you enjoy it but you can explain the plot lol

Happy New Year

Chris

[northepaul]

the coal was for good luck, to make sure the house would always be warm,

Oh I see, () well I have missletoe up which is quite lucky...and I wouldnt have a clue where to buy coal from round here anyway....I'll just take my chances

[Florence Fennel]

It's nearly half past two and no-one's been in or out yet! I'm hoping my daughter comes to visit soon. She's dark and very pretty, so might bring some luck in here. It could well also be me if I venture out to pull some parsnips.

[Alison]

Never heard of any of this first footing lark until I met OH and was at a party at his aunt's house and they forced his cousin (who was dark but rather short) outside. Don't think any coal was involved but he did moan he was cold as he wasn't let back in very quickly. Didn't really see the point to be honest but was glad it wasn't me

[Aberdeenplotter]

First person through the door on New Year's Day? Intentional or unexpected? Our dogs used to be the dark and handsome ones who were let out at two minutes to midnight and then let back in as soon as midnight had passed. Sadly we have no dogs anymore, so I think I'll put himself out.

You just watch out Florence, he mightn't come back

[rogesse]

As a nipper in Scotland and the North East, it was generally the next door neighbour, four sheets to the wind.

When I took The OH up to Scotland to meet the folks for the first time over Hogmanay, I told him he would have to first foot but neglected to explain....fully. He wasn't best pleased when my dad evicted him from in front of the fire (coal in hand) into a field of snow and sheep wearing nothing but jeans and a T shirt then locked the back door! By the time he'd ranted a bit then made it round the front, it was New Year so we let him in - and the whiskey made him feel better.

That was his welcome to the mad house so it's entirely his fault he decided to join!

[Snadger]

Oh always blames the first foot for anything bad that happens that year. Last year it was the dog so she got it in the neck for 2010.

This year it was me, paddling around outside in my bare feet on the gravel looking for a non existant bit of coal! Finally found a rock and and took that in instead!
No doubt I'll get it in the neck later in 2011!

[HeyWayne]

I have never heard of any of this - but I don't like the idea that the tallest gets shoved outside with a lump of coal...

Only "footing" I ever remember as a kid was some old "rhyme" my dad used to quote to us (rather rapidly).

"He put his foot in the bucket, and footed the bucket about. The more he footed the bucket, the more o the bucket went out"

Nope, me either.

[Florence Fennel]

You just watch out Florence, he mightn't come back

Ooh, I so wish I'd done it now!
Chester, my daughter's Springer Spaniel let mine in at six o'clock this evening!

[lizzylemon]

Moi! at very stoooooopid o'clock this morning and feeling very strange. (well very very drunk in all honesty, ya know dizzy, bit queasy with buzing ears) I was tall (5.11 in my heels) before I took me shoes off and was wearing predominately black clothes.

[Two_Sheds]

I'd never heard of First Foot, so had to look it up:

The most widespread national custom is that of first-footing.
This involves being the first person to enter the house of a friend or neighbour, thus becoming the first foot in the door. The first-foot is expected to bring suitable gifts to ensure good luck throughout the year. These may include:

A lump of coal - for warmth.
Cake or biscuits - to ensure the household never goes hungry
Salt - to bring wealth.

When presenting the lump of coal, the first-foot should say, 'Lang may yer lum reek', a traditional Scots good luck blessing for the long dark nights, literally translated as 'Long may your chimney smoke.'

It is important that the first-foot is a suitable person; the ideal first-foot is a tall, dark-haired stranger - this harks back to the days of the Vikings, when a blond-haired stranger arriving in the middle of the night wasn't usually good news.
Some traditionalists do insist that female first-foots are unlucky

So it's a Scottish tradition? And you can't first-foot yourself, it needs to be a friend or neighbour?

[bobleponge]

Had to think quite hard as was quite merry by the time the new year showed itself, but it was me, which doesnt count, so it would have been our friends son, who is 9, and the shortest person in the house at the time.
When the bells strike here, my neighbouring farmers always have a fireworks display. We all trooped outside to watch it, but with the fog we couldnt see a flippin thing, so we all came back inside, me first followed by 9 year old.
No coal, no whisky and as blonde as blonde can be.
Apart from that, it was fine.