12 Simple Ways to Tell Fortunes at Christmas
The night before Christmas is a magical, mysterious, and simultaneously mystical time. Since ancient times, girls have sought to learn their future specifically on the night of January 6-7, as fortune-telling on this night is considered the most reliable. We have found 12 simple and interesting fortune-telling methods for literally every occasion. They will help you immerse yourself in the atmosphere of holiday wonder and find out what fate has in store for you in 2026.
What you need to know about Christmas fortune-telling
The two weeks from January 6 to 19 will be the Christmastide. Our ancestors endowed two nights in this period with special magical properties: the night of January 6-7 (Christmas) and the night of January 18-19 (Epiphany).
Christmas fortune-telling takes place in a calm setting and only by candlelight — to preserve the magical atmosphere. You also need to follow a few rules:
let your hair down;
remove all jewelry;
do not cross your arms and legs during fortune-telling;
if you have a pet, put it in another room;
it is undesirable to laugh or mock during fortune-telling, or nothing will work.
In general, if you have decided to try Christmas fortune-telling, take it seriously.
Fortune-telling for a future spouse
The most important request for single girls throughout the ages has been finding their other half, so many Christmas fortune-telling methods began with this question.
Fortune-telling for the name of a future husband
Before going to bed, write men«s names on separate pieces of paper. Fold the papers neatly and place them under your pillow. Upon waking in the morning, pull out one paper. The name written there will be the name of your future husband.
Fortune-telling with cards
For this method, it is better to use a new deck of cards. Before bed, take the four kings from the deck and say: «My betrothed, my dressed-up one, come to me all decked out.» Place the kings on your pillows and try to fall asleep.
In the morning, as soon as you wake up, feel under your pillow and pull out one card, then interpret the answer from it:
if you get the king of spades — your future spouse will be significantly older;
king of clubs — a widower or military man;
king of hearts — the groom will be rich and handsome;
king of diamonds — you are in for great mutual love.
Fortune-telling by a passerby
Perhaps the most fun fortune-telling of all listed. Go outside in the dark (preferably at night), you can do it with a friend. Hail the first person you meet and ask their name — that will be the name of your future spouse.
Rolling a ring
Sit with your friends in the hallway facing the entrance and take turns rolling a ring towards the door. If the jewelry falls or veers off course, marriage is still far off. The one whose ring rolls straight to the threshold will be the first to get married.
Fortune-telling for the future
Usually, here a person receives a prediction for the main event in the coming year.
Fortune-telling with wax
For this ancient fortune-telling, you will need a piece of a white candle. Place it on a tablespoon and melt it using a candle that should be on your table. Then, when the candle in the spoon is melted, quickly pour it into a container with cold water. A pattern (figures) will appear, the meaning of which you need to decipher: heart — love, fish — pregnancy, bird — news.
Fortune-telling with frozen water
Pour water into a deep bowl and place it in the frost. In the morning, interpret the future by the frozen patterns. If the ice relief is uneven, there will be many obstacles and difficulties this year.
Fortune-telling by the shadow of ashes
Crumple a sheet of paper, place it on a plate, and set it on fire. When everything burns to ashes, bring a candle to the saucer: you need to study the shadow that forms from the resulting ash. Its shape will be a clue to what to expect soon. You can rotate the plate to better see the silhouette — the main thing is that the burned paper doesn«t scatter.
Fortune-telling for wishes
In this case, you can ask a question that has long interested you and get a clear answer: «yes» or «no.»
Fortune-telling with grain
Take a jar of grain. Place it in the middle of the table. Raise your palm over the jar, make a wish, and scoop up some grains. What ends up in your fist, pour out onto the table and carefully count — if the number is even, the wish will definitely come true.
Fortune-telling with paper slips
Before going to bed, write 12 wishes on separate pieces of paper. Fold the papers neatly and place them under your pillow. Upon waking in the morning, pull out three of them. These will come true in the near future.
Ring over water
Fill a glass two-thirds with water and place it on the table. Tie a thread to a ring and lower it into the glass so that the jewelry does not touch the water. Now you can ask a question about your cherished desire. The ring will begin to swing. If it moves in a circle, it means everything will come true. Swinging from side to side symbolizes a refusal in fulfilling your plan.
If you want to tell fortunes on at what age you will get married, instead of a thread, tie your hair to the ring. Hold the ring exactly in the center over a bowl, it will begin to swing from side to side. The number of times the ring hits the sides of the container is the age at which you will get married. Don«t forget to count the hits!
Fortune-telling for money
If for our ancestors, prosperity was associated with an abundance of food and a strong, healthy family, then in the modern world it is more often linked to the level of financial well-being.
Fortune-telling with two candles
Fill one bowl with sugar and the other with salt. Place identical candles in them, light them simultaneously, and let them burn all night. If the candle in the sugar burns out first — the year will be plentiful and rich. The stub in the plate with salt warns that you are in for expenses.
Fortune-telling with a mirror in the frost
Douse a mirror with water and put it out in the frost. When the water freezes, examine the resulting patterns. Circles mean financial success. The more there are, the larger the expected profit.
