We never really did the first footing thing in Dorset where I grew up - it seems to be a custom that is more popular the farther north you go in the UK.

Instead, we would open the back and the front doors to let the old year out and the new year in. It was done to every building including the barns and the animal pens, and the garage (although there it was the doors and the tiny back window). In fact, other than weddings and funerals, this was the only time our front doors were ever used, even if it meant going around the house. It was quite strange for me the first time I moved into a house where there was no street access to the back door.

The bread, salt and coin custom was used by the local traveller family though (true Romanys they were), but only to their own. They had their winter pitch near us and I got friendly with the youngest girl when she came to school. She told me a lot of her customs, possibly because I was one of the few who would talk to her.

LTS