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St. Andrew?s name day falling on the 30th of November is, in Poland, an opportunity to have great ?Andrew?s fun?. Traditionally, for hundreds of years on the eve of the 30th of November, marriageable girls foretell when they will be married.
The most traditional fortune-telling methods are pouring wax, setting shoes and peeling apples. The first method involves pouring melted wax through the eye of an old key into a water-filled bowl. The resulting wax figure takes on different shapes. At a first glance the figure may remind us of nothing, yet its shadow, projected onto the wall with a torch or candle, will tell us what awaits us in the upcoming year. The second method needs to be attended to by a few girls. They set their left shoes on the floor, one after another. The one whose shoe is the first to touch the threshold of the room will be next to tie the knot. The third one ? the ?peeling? method ? involves guessing the initial letter of your future husband's name. Each girl peels one apple, producing one long peel. Cast over the left shoulder onto the floor, the peel should form a letter of the beloved's name.
The tradition of Andrew's fortune telling has survived throughout the centuries, and although not many believe in the results of the fortune-telling today, everybody eagerly indulges in the fun. At home and school parties, in pubs and student clubs, on the eve of St. Andrew's name day, girls are delighted to pour wax, set their shoes and peel apples.
After all, surely it?s worth taking every opportunity to have some fun! |
