Festive Superstitions

17 Dec Festive Superstitions

‘Tis the season to be merry, as they say; but in between the merry-making and gift-giving, the festive season carries many superstitions and ancient beliefs. Some are relatively well-known, while others are almost forgotten; some you may have never even heard of before!

Festive Luck Traditions

As it lies so close to the Winter Solstice, Christmas has picked up many traditions associated with earlier celebrations of the Yule festival. The longest night marks a turning point in the year, which makes it a common time to seek lucky omens for the year ahead, and watch out for omens which may warn of ill fate.

Omens of ill luck include difficulty lighting the fire on Christmas Day (less relevant for those of us with central heating), eating any Christmas foodstuff before Christmas Eve, and cutting into mince pies – a habit said to “cut your luck”. It’s also considered extremely unlucky to send carol singers away empty handed – no matter how badly they sing.

If you wish to foster good luck for the year ahead, you need a dozen friends and a hearty appetite – it’s said that each mince pie consumed in a different house during the festive season promises a happy month in the coming year!

The burning of a Christmas candle in the window overnight is also said to guarantee luck; if the candle should go out, it foretells poor fortune in the coming year. One would assume that the candle catching on the curtains signals even worse fortune, so it’s wise to keep your flame safely contained.

Festive Romance Traditions

There are also many traditions concerning predictions of love at Christmas time – many originating from Victorian times, when this seems to have been a significant preoccupation.

One such tradition was the making of a dumb cake; a concoction of flour, water, eggs and salt, prepared in silence and placed upon the hearth with the person’s initials pricked upon it. The person’s future spouse was said to either appear and prick their initials into the cake alongside those of the maker, or visit them in their dreams.

Of course, the most notable romantic tradition of the festive period is the practice of kissing beneath the mistletoe. This plant was held sacred by both the Ancient Greeks and the Druids of England, as well as featuring prominently in the Norse myth of the death of Baldr. Whilst today many people kiss with abandon beneath the mistletoe, it was originally custom for the gents to pluck a berry from the plant for each kiss claimed, thus limiting its efficiency.

For those seeking guidance for the year ahead – whether it may be luck or romance that’s foremost in your mind – my team and I can offer clairvoyant email readings, or readings by phone. Simply order online, or contact us on one of the numbers at the top of this page.