WHAT WAS THE ORIGIN OF THE CUSTOM OF FIRST-FOOTING ?

Otago Witness, Issue 2285, 16 December 1897, Page 15

WHAT WAS THE ORIGIN OF THE CUSTOM OF FIRST-FOOTING ?

According to Mr G. Hastie, in " Folk Lore," this custom of first-footing originated in the ancient marriage customs of Scotland, more , particularly • those of Galloway and Wigtonshire, where marriages were generally celebrated on New Year's Day, About a century ago the young maidens of the district who might be courting Avould, on the approach of New Year's Eve, in a coaxing kind ot' way, invite their sweethearts to be their first-foot on New Year's morning ; of course, the hint was always readily accepted, and generally ended in a marriage on a subsequent New Year's Day. The custom of first-footing is practised throughout the whole of Scotland, and over a great portion of the northern parts of England, and would appear to -be much more ancient than Mr Hastie would have us believe. It is probably one of the jinost ancient superstitions regarding luck, as the luck of the ensuing- year is regarded by many as to a large extent dependent _on. whose /shall be the first foot, to enter a house on the first day of the year. The most lucky first-foot is that of a dark-haired man, while the worst is that of a man with a squint.