Christmas fortune-telling in Russia take place during Christmastide. Christmastide is a two-week period in winter starting from the Christmas Eve and finishing on January 19th that is on Epiphany

The fortune-telling at this time is considered to be the most truthful.

Cristmas fortune telling is the most positive. It isn`t worth paying attention to the things you don`t like about your future! Here are some popular fortune-tellings! I hope they will be truthful and bring you lots of positive emotions.

Dogs` Barking

This type of fortune-telling will tell you about your future husband. You should take a knife and at midnight go out. Come up to the nearest snowdrft and start cutting the snow. Say the following at thee same time: “Chert, don`t keep silent, chert, tell me, what husband shall I have, shall I laugh or cry?”(«Чёрт не молчи, чёрт подскажи, какой муж мне попадётся, плакать или смеяться придётся?»). Having said that, listen to the dogs barking. If you hear sharp and evil barking that means that your husband will be gloomy and strict. If the barking is kind and happy, your husband will also be kind and cheerful. If you hear the dogs` howl, this tells about bad luck. Howling means that your marriage won`t be long, and the wife can become a widow.

Christmas Fortune-Telling With Candles

To tell fortune on wax you should take all the candle remains (use only white). Put the wax into a pan and melt it quickly, then pour it immediately into cold water. The wax shape will tell you about your future.

Shapes Meaning

§  A house means that you will own some new property, if you are a young lady that means that you will have a groom.

§  If the shape is incomprehensible – that means bad luck.

§  A cave or a hole is one of the most negative shapes symbolizing a grave. So the meaning is death or some serious illness.

§  A tree has several meanings. If the branches look upwards that means the nearest happiness. If they are directed downwards you will be bored and mourning.

§  A candle or a ring denounce the wedding.

§  If a slapjack went down in the water – that means that you won`t get married for a long time.

Christmas Fortune-Telling Using Milk and Wax

Take a saucepan and pour some milk into it. Put this on the doorstep.After that take the candles remnants, melt them saying: “Brownie, my master, come at my doorstep to drink some milk, to eat some wax”(«Мой хозяин домовой, приди ко мне на порог, молочка попить, воска поесть»). Then pour the melted wax into the milk and look at the wax shape.

§  A cross means an illness. If the cross edges are not straight that means that you will have to face lots of insignificant problems.

§  Flower blossom means that you will get married within a year.

§  An animal means that there is an evil person near you.

§  Small stars mean success in the career.

§  Strips often indicate some move, it can be a journey or a business-trip.

§  A man`s figure means that you will soon make a new friend.

Christmas Fortune-Telling: Shadows

It is very easy to do. You should take a sheet of paper and crumple it (do not turn it into a tight ball). Then put the paper onto a dish, put a candle near the dish and burn the paper in complete darkness. Look at the shadow on the wall. The figure which appears on the wall will tell you about the future. The shapes meanings are similar to the wax ones.

Hairs Fortune-Telling

You should try this at midnight. Pour some milk into a bowl, add some salt, some suger and again some salt. Mix the liquid thoroughly. When the water stops moving throw two hairs into it. The first one should be yours and the second – the one of the person you love. Leave the bowl till the morning. If the hairs have intertwined you will soon get married. If the hairs stay away from each other, you will part. If one of them has drowned – the owner will fall ill.

To be continued…