“First footing" (or the "first foot" in the house after midnight in the New Year) used to be widely celebrated in Scotland with neighbours and friends visiting each other and wishing one another a Happy New Year.  Traditionally the first to cross the threshold should be tall, dark and handsome and bringing several gifts.  These would be symbolical and representing the wishes for the new year, such as coal for a warm home, perhaps some shortbread or chocolates to ensure adequate food for the coming year and a drink from the bottle to represent good cheer and also maybe a coin for prosperity.  When I saw the shoes lined up I was wondering who would be the first to come through our front door this morning, not of course expecting a first footer.  It was the 9 year old owner of the rainbow ‘wheelies” but she didn’t bring any gifts today.   We had the Christmas exchange of presents when the family came on Friday and today further gifts were exchanged when daughter S flew over to join us for the New Year making it the first time in over five years that the nine of us were all together in our house.  So it was a good New Year’s Day.
( The piles of wellies which had certainly been needed were behind me)