Here is a great way to work off the New Years Eve hangover, first footing!

Growing up in a Scottish household , first footing was an annual practice for our family, just like Christmas or any other holiday, but many people do not know about this tradition. Wikipedia.com explains the event best.

The first person to enter the home of a household on New Year's Day is the bringer of good fortune for the coming year.

So how do you do that? While first, you are awake and out making deliveries at the crack of dawn to friends and family. Those expecting their door bell to ring at 6 am are happy, those that are not anticipating guests that early, are not pleased. My family would always have a bottle of wine, a quarter, a box of crackers and an orange that we would present as we walked through the front door. The idea is that by bringing those items and being the first person to step into the home on New Years Day brings luck and prosperity to the home owners. All first footers do it a little different, Wikipedia reports,

The first-foot usually brings several gifts, including perhaps a coin (silver is considered good luck), bread, salt, coal, evergreen, and/or a drink (usually whisky), which represent financial prosperity, food, flavour, warmth, long-life, and good cheer respectively.

Does it really bring good luck through the new year?! Not sure, but it is a fun tradition that I enjoy being a part of every year. So this year if you are looking to start a new family tradition, think about first footing!

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