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Each one of the Omen Days, more commonly known as the Twelve Days of Christmas, predict the corresponding month of the upcoming year.
A pan-European practice, the 12 Days of Christmas mark a threshold between the old year and the new.1 Because of this, magic worked now was more powerful. Supernatural forces overtook the landscape. The dead walked the earth to visit the living. Predictions became easy.
Those hoping to find what the new year holds take note of their omens beginning on December 26. That first day forecasts their January. Each day, until the Epiphany on January 6, tells what the corresponding month will bring. Modern witches may choose to draw a tarot card or rune instead. Keep a log to remember your prophecies. Signs can be taken for major events or themes coming in that month. The weather during the traditional Welsh coel ddyddiau (lit., "omen days") predicted the weather for each month of the upcoming year.2 What tidings have your Omen Days brought?
Read more about the Omen Days in modern witchcraft:
Resources for this article:
1. Kuusela, T. (2016) "He Met His Own Funeral Procession": The Year Walk Ritual in Swedish Folk Tradition. In: Tommy Kuusela & Giuseppe Maiello (ed.), Folk Belief and Traditions of the Supernatural (pp. 58-91). København: Beewolf Press. Link. Accessed 31 Dec 2018.
2. Gwyndaf, R. (1993) Welsh Tradition-Bearers: Guidelines for the Study of World-View, Folk Life, 32:1, 77-91, DOI: 10.1179/flk.1993.32.1.77. Accessed 31 Dec 2018.
A pan-European practice, the 12 Days of Christmas mark a threshold between the old year and the new.1 Because of this, magic worked now was more powerful. Supernatural forces overtook the landscape. The dead walked the earth to visit the living. Predictions became easy.
Those hoping to find what the new year holds take note of their omens beginning on December 26. That first day forecasts their January. Each day, until the Epiphany on January 6, tells what the corresponding month will bring. Modern witches may choose to draw a tarot card or rune instead. Keep a log to remember your prophecies. Signs can be taken for major events or themes coming in that month. The weather during the traditional Welsh coel ddyddiau (lit., "omen days") predicted the weather for each month of the upcoming year.2 What tidings have your Omen Days brought?
Read more about the Omen Days in modern witchcraft:
- Caitlín Matthews, "The Art of the Omen Days," The Witches' Almanac.
- Briana Saussy, "Magical Missive: Optimize Your Omen."
Resources for this article:
1. Kuusela, T. (2016) "He Met His Own Funeral Procession": The Year Walk Ritual in Swedish Folk Tradition. In: Tommy Kuusela & Giuseppe Maiello (ed.), Folk Belief and Traditions of the Supernatural (pp. 58-91). København: Beewolf Press. Link. Accessed 31 Dec 2018.
2. Gwyndaf, R. (1993) Welsh Tradition-Bearers: Guidelines for the Study of World-View, Folk Life, 32:1, 77-91, DOI: 10.1179/flk.1993.32.1.77. Accessed 31 Dec 2018.
