The man with the noses

Thanks everyone for your contributions. Georgesgran first footing was done in my husband’s village with a piece of coal and some salt. Although I believe a drink was offered to the first footer who had to be a tall dark haired man. Scarce in our house these days! ?

Born and still live in the north east but never heard of that tradition.

mum grew up in Manchester and we have always lived in the north west. Mother New Year left small gifts in the slippers we left on the stairs

Been in Durham since birth and I’ve never heard of this. In most pit villages the menfolk would go outside with a lump of coal and a bottle of something, then were let back in just after midnight. Just ‘ordinary first footing’.

I was living in Northumberland in my childhood, and pretty rural Northumberland at that so perhaps it never made it that far! Have lived in county Durham for 30 years and as I say havent heard it but I will ask around though

What an intriguing thread. I was brought up in that area too, but have never heard of this.

Thank you so much Nortsat and Galaxy. It sounds like it’s back to the drawing board then. I did wonder if there’s a connection to the Spanish Civil War when men did leave the NE to fight? Perhaps they brought the story back with them? Or perhaps I’m over thinking it?? ?

I have been in the North East all my life and have never heard of that one.

I grew up in Co Durham in a Colliery village, but it’s a new one on me.

Thanks Alygran that confirms it was a North Eastern thing, despite lack of goodies. Husband was from Wearside; a colliery village outside Sunderland so maybe story changed as it crossed boundaries ?

I grew up on Teesside and the man with many noses was mentioned often by grandparents but not the slippers and sweets!

Interesting thought BlueBelle. According to Wikipedia, the legend was he had 365 noses and lost one each day, hence only one on NYE. DH’s family were very prosaic and I cannot imagine any exotic relatives in the woodwork ?

Maybe a long lost relative spent christmas in Spain and picked up the tradition I ve never heard of it myself I wonder why noses ?