“Again we assemble, a merry New Year To wish to each one of the family here, Whether man, woman, or girl, or boy, That long life, and happiness, all may enjoy, May they of potatoes and herrings have plenty, With butter and cheese, and each other dainty; And may their sleep never, by night or day, Disturbed be by even the tooth of a flea; Until at the Quaaltagh again we appear, To wish you, as now, all a happy New Year.” When these lines are repeated at the door, the whole party are invited into the house to partake of the best the family can afford. On these occasions a person of dark complexion always enters first, as a light-haired male or female is deemed unlucky to be the first-foot or _quaaltagh_ on New Year’s morning. The actors of the _quaaltagh_ do not assume fantastic habiliments like the mummers of England, or the guisards of Scotland, nor do they, like these rude performers of the Ancient Mysteries, appear ever to have been attended by minstrels playing on different kinds of musical instruments. NORTHUMBERLAND. The following extract, relating to Newcastle-on-Tyne, is taken from the _North of England Advertiser_ of January 4th, 1873: The children on New Year’s morn are busy begging their New Year’s gifts, saying, “Old Year out, New Year in; please give us my New Year’s gift;” or “A merry Christmas and a happy New Year;” followed by the usual appeal for a present. The first-foot is an important personage. If he should be a dark man, it is a sign of good luck; if a light one not so lucky; but alas! if a woman, the worst luck will befall the household. Similar to the first hearing of the cuckoo, it is of the greatest importance whether or not you have money in your pocket and your cupboard full on New Year’s Day. NOTTINGHAMSHIRE. In this county it is considered unlucky to remove anything from a house until something has been brought in, and therefore, early in the morning, each member of the family carries some trifling thing in. In the neighbourhood of Newark, this rhyme is sung: “Take out, and take in, Bad luck is sure to begin; But take in and take out. Good luck will come about.” _Jour. of Arch. Assoc._ 1853, vol. viii. p. 231. Brand, in his _Pop. Antiq._ (1849, vol. i. p. 15), alludes to this custom as existing in Lincoln and its neighbourhood. The rhyme he quotes is slightly different from the above: “Take out, then take in, Bad luck will begin; Take in, then take out, Good luck comes in.” OXFORDSHIRE. Pointer, in his _Oxoniensis Academia_ (1749, p. 71), alludes to a custom, observed at Brasenose College, Oxford, of the Bachelors of Arts and Undergraduates belonging to the college going in a body on New Year’s Day to their Principal, and each presenting him with an epistle by way of a New Year’s gift, wishing him a happy New Year.