First of all, I hope that each and every one of you found happiness in your holidays in however you chose to celebrate this season.

Today I'm going to list a few superstitions and beliefs concerning New Year's and that led me to thinking of a spell. So, I came up with a New Year's spell for you.

A few of the beliefs I have heard my whole life, not really knowing the reason behind them until I was able to find out for myself and some are just plain silly. But, I thought it would be fun to explore them and their reasons.

My Mamaw liked to follow superstitions and rituals for the New Year.  She always made sure that she made black-eyed peas, collard greens, and corn bread.  She never really said why she made this meal other than good luck for the coming year. The wonderful interwebs offers a wealth of information concerning this meal. The black-eyed peas and collard greens represent money. The peas are the coins and the greens are the paper money. So ingesting it guaranteeing yourself money for the coming year.

She would also sweep out the Old Year so that her home could welcome the New Year.  This is a custom that many follow. I have made my spell to put this belief to good use.

On January 6th, no laundry was done because it was Old Christmas. Again, no explanation was ever given by my grandmother other than it was bad luck! My grandmother did everything she could to avoid bad luck.

Apparently,  some people believe that January 6th is supposed to mark the day of the Wise Men's visit to the child, Jesus. But, really it is caused by the switch from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar. January 6th was the equivalent day of celebration for England's Christmas.

Also, on this day do not lend anything to anyone........I'm not sure why. Maybe you'll never get it back? Maybe it comes back cursed?  Just. don't. take. the. chance.

These are the main New Year's rituals that my Mamaw followed......there are others:

Many people believe that the First Day of the calendar new year is a very important day. That what happens on this day will set the tone for the rest of the year. So, a good way to insure a good year would be to bring a small gift to anyone that you visit for the day and try to spend it with loved ones. And for goodness sake, don't go around the ones that you argue with. Spend it with the ones that enjoy your company.

If there is something unpleasant that you don't like doing, make sure you aren't doing it on New Year's day, because you will be doing it all year.

Always make sure that if you start something on this day that it is finished before midnight!

If you have money on New Year's, you'll have money all year.

This one is important: The first person to enter your home on New Year's should be a dark haired man. A woman is said to be a bad omen, as are a red-haired men or  men with flat feet. Can you just imagine what happened to someone that had a red-haired flat-footed man that visited to make this one?

Those New Year's resolutions that people announce? Well, guess what? You better follow them through because it is bad luck if you don't!

Never hang a new calendar in your home before New Year's Day. It's bad luck.

On New Year's Eve, make certain that you have the whole house clean, then at Midnight open your doors to make sure that you welcome the New Year. Welcome it with a toast.

Here's a fun one: Whoever takes the last drink from a bottle of bubbly on New Year's Eve will be lucky all the year.

Okay, now for my spell. I started thinking about the New Year custom of sweeping out the old year and letting in the new years with hopes of a better year. .......that got me to thinking about Cinderella. She swept the ashes and always longed for a better life. And BAM, she suddenly had one. With the help of a Fairy Godmother and wishing for the new life, she was living what she dreamed.

I love fairy tales. I see them as tales from magickal grimoires written by the spellmakers to keep a record. They teach lessons, they have triumph and heartache, shiny things, and fairies. The Cinderella story is one of my most favorites. This one is based on the French version of the story. Don't you just love the Drew Barrymore Ever After movie?

So I call this:

Cinderella's Ashes To Sparkles New Year Extravaganza Spell Could you hear the reverb on that while you read it to yourself?

This spell will take a little work, but all good things always take a little work. You may want to make your star a day ahead and then activate it on New Years.

Okay you will need:

Blue felt Hot glue gun Glitter and glue or decorative glitter glue Herbs for the purposes Nail clipping from each house member Paper Pen

To start, we will make the star. You probably want to make it a day ahead so that the glitter runes on it will be dry when you are activating the star.

You need to figure out what you want in your new year. Happiness? Prosperity? Fertility? Peace? Protection? Good health? Wisdom? Luck?  And please, this is VERY important, please be specific. Runes like it when you are specific. Write these out on little strips of paper and roll them up.

 I'm going to keep the herb list to simple herbs. Mostly things you probably have on hand. You will only need pinches of them. You don't have to use all of these, I'm just listing a few for you. Health:       Lemon Balm, High John, Carnation, Cedar, Cinnamon, Sage, Coriander, Cypress

Prosperity:     

Allspice, basil, High John, pine, sage

 Fertility:                          Dried banana slices, basil, acorn, dried apple

 Luck: 

Allspice, aloe, High John

 Peace:  

basil, rosemary, bayberry, pennyroyal

Wisdom: Sage, Sunflower

And you will want to add something for wishes, along with the other herbs:

Job's tears, Dandelion, Mustard seed, Rosemary

If I didn't list an herb for something that you wish for, it isn't too hard to research and find out which herbs will work for your intentions.

Alright now, you will make your star. I used blue felt, what you are making is the star from the end of your Fairy Godmother's wand.

Using the star template, cut out two: one for a front and one for a back. The finished stars are around 4 1/2 inches point to point.

You are going to hot glue the edges only of the star. Leave one point not glued. You will fill the star with this open point. Like this: 

Now, inside this star you will put your little rolled up wishes. Then the fingernail clippings from each family member (because you want the whole household to be included in the fruitfulness), and the pinches of the herbs that you will be using. Don't forget to add one of the wish herbs to them.

After your star is stuffed, then you will glue the open point shut. After you have glued the point shut, decorate the front and make it pretty.  

This one is mine.

This one is a friend's.

You can either let this dry for a couple of hours or use a blow dryer to dry it. When the front is dry, you will be making a bindrune symbol on the back. It will be a wish bindrune. It looks like this: 

Keys to Wishes Bindrune

 

Wunjo: The wish rune and also promotes peace and fruitfulness

Ingwaz: This rune will bring focus and a successful conclusion, this one also binds together the work of the others

Fehu: This rune will circulate abundance

Thurisaz: This one will bring a breakthrough and stimulate your fruitfulness

Othala: This rune will enhance peace, security, prosperity in your home and will also draw fortune to your dwelling.

 

Now, let this dry. It will be ready to be activated on New Year's Eve, as a midnight spell. You are also going to have a super NEW moon on January 1st to help push your wishes to fruition!

On New Year's Eve, you will make another list. This list will be all of the bad things that happened to you in the past year. Make sure you list EVERYTHING, because you are going to sweep that stuff out of your life like Cinderella's fireplace ashes.

Get a small green candle and hold it while you fill it with all of your wishes and hopes for the new year. 

Concentrate for a few minutes and then light it. Use this candle to light your list of the past year's bad things. This is the new year overtaking the bad things to bring your good things. Leave the candle burning.

While the candle is burning, open the door and either fling your ashes out the front door or sweep them out. (make sure they are out good). After you are finished throwing out your ashes with the old year, go to your star that is filled with your New Year's Wishes and hold it while you think of all you want to accomplish and hope to have in your life this new year. 

Galdr the runes. To galdr you hold the item in your hand, close your eyes and chant each runes name, calling them to your spellwork. I like to do it until I "feel" that rune empower me. Each rune has it's own color and when I feel it, I also get a flash of that runes color. 

Pass the star through the flame of the candle and say: "With the flame of this candle the power and the magic within these herbs and runes are activated and will work together to bring my desires and wishes to our home for the New Year. This will be done immediately with no harm to my family, property, possessions, or pets." 

 

When you are finished, attach a small ribbon to the back of the star with hot glue. hang it above your front door for the year. Visualize a blue light of the star gently spreading your wish fulfillment out into your home. Let the candle burn down.

Now, go eat your black eyed peas and collard greens and have a Happy New Year! and if you decide to share my spell, please link back to me.

If you would like to read more about the superstitions and customs that I listed above, Sarah Anne Lawless has a great blog about them. Black Arts Foundry

There will be another super moon in January 2018. 

https://www.space.com/38969-supermoon-trilogy-kicks-off-dec-3.html

 

“May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you're wonderful, and don't forget to make some art -- write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.”

― Neil Gaiman