For whatever reason many of our New Year’s Eve traditions revolve around fortune telling. There are a number of cultural fortune telling traditions like the Austrian Bleigießen and the Finnish uudenvuodentina, and it seems like a good time to think about your fortune and or wished for the new year. I actually love low key New Year’s Eve with kids– far more than I enjoyed the expensive and weird nights on the town in my 20s. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that my post kid celebrations are the first time I really enjoyed this this celebration. It’s still mistly a late night holiday so while we sneak some nature in here and there (nye nature crowns, first day hikes) much of this night is spent inside. You can read more about our countdown setup here. We do try to use a bunch of natural materials and have a cozy vibe.
This year as I was brainstorming ideas I came across daphnomancy which is a form of divination based on burning bay leaves. A loud crackling from the fire is a positive omen, whereas silence is a negative one. I like the straightforward yes or no of this for kids. As an American I assocaite the abll drop with New Year’s really more than anything else, so I decided to make some ball ornaments with bay that you could write questions on and throw into a bonfire for a yes or no answer on the New Year.
Bay has a long association with December festivities. In ancient Rome, branches of bay were used to decorate homes during the festival of Saturnalia in mid-December, coinciding with the winter solstice. It was an important tree for prophecy and divination, named for the nymph Daphne.
As for the ball drop tradition, it began in 1908 as a way to light up the sky in New York City without raining ash down on the streets. The ball is based on a time ball that were installed in harbor cities after the adoption of standard time. The balls would drop at a specific time allowing sailors to set their chronometers. The first ball drop actually used the repurposed mast of a battleship!
The other plant I used for this project is juniper, which has always felt like a New Years plant to me. It is used in the Scottish tradition of Hogmanay, or celebration of the last night of the year. It is used for saining or protecting/ blessing the household. The branches are set on fire and the smoke is directed throughout the house. So I like to think that this does double duty when you throw it into the fire.
Bay Fortune Ornaments
This turned out so pretty I was hesitant to burn them even though that was the idea! If you are too attached/ or just want an easier way to tell fortunes you can write your question on a bay leaf and throw it directly in the fire. You want to make the balls a few days early so they have time to dry out again.
Materials:
- dried bay leaves
- embroidery floss
- unfinished wooden beads
- small juniper branches
Method:
You’ll need five leaves for each ornament. Soak the leaves for a few hours in water so that they become flexible.
Tie a knot in your embroidery floss and string your bottom beads. You can tie the last bead on if the knot is slipping through.
Make a stack of 5 bay leaves of approximately the same size. Stick your needle through the the center of the stem end one at a time until all five rest on top of the beads.
Gather them all together and stick your needle through the top of all five at once. The leaves now make a “C” shape.
String more beads on (they will hold the leaves in place).
Slide the leaves around until they form a ball and adjust the beads as necessary. Knot the top of the string and tie a loop for hanging.
Dip the end of your juniper branch in a little glue and wedge it into the bottom of the lowest bead.
To use write you question on another bay leaf and stick it into the ball. (or write carefully on the ball) Throw it into the fire and listen for crackling (yes) or silence (no.)
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