Charms and Luck

Omens, charms and ways to bring or keep luck: first footing, turning money at the new moon, lucky and unlucky days.

Customs

The year ahead

Monday 26 October Hunter’s Moon

Saturday 31 October

Sat 31 Oct 10:00 15:00
Custom

Hop tu Naa Festival at Cregneash

Cregneash Folk Village, Cregneash, Isle of Man

Thursday 5 November

Thu 5 Nov 20:00 16:00
Custom

Shebbear Turning the Devil’s Stone

St Michael’s Church, Shebbear, Devon

Monday 9 November New moon

Tuesday 24 November Beaver Moon

Wednesday 9 December New moon

Thursday 24 December Cold Moon

Thursday 7 January New moon

Monday 11 January

Mon 11 Jan from 18:00
Custom

Burning the Clavie

Sets off from Granary Street, Burghead, Moray

Friday 22 January Wolf Moon

Saturday 6 February New moon

Saturday 20 February Snow Moon

Monday 8 March New moon

Monday 22 March Worm Moon

Tuesday 6 April New moon

Tuesday 20 April Pink Moon

Monday 3 May

Mon 3 May 12:00 15:00
Custom

Laa Boaldyn at Cregneash

Cregneash Folk Village, Cregneash, Isle of Man

Thursday 6 May New moon

Thursday 20 May Flower Moon

Friday 4 June New moon

Saturday 19 June Strawberry Moon

Sunday 4 July New moon

Sunday 18 July Buck Moon

Monday 2 August New moon

Friday 13 August

Fri 13 Aug 09:00 18:00
Custom

The Burryman

Staghead Hotel, South Queensferry, City of Edinburgh

Tuesday 17 August Sturgeon Moon

Tuesday 31 August New moon

Wednesday 15 September Harvest Moon

Thursday 30 September New moon

Friday 15 October Hunter’s Moon

From the old calendars

1 to 25 of 52 entries in December

6 December, not tied to the day

7 December, not tied to the day

12 December, not tied to the day

17 December, not tied to the day

18 December, not tied to the day

20 December

20 December, not tied to the day

23 December, not tied to the day

24 December

Folklore from the old calendars

Born on Christmas Eve, blind to ghosts Lore and belief EnglandPeople born on Christmas Eve were thought to be unable to see spirits, even when a dog at their side plainly saw one and crept whining to its master.
Keeping back the yule-cake Lore and belief LincolnshireOn Christmas Eve in Lincolnshire the yule-clog blazed and the yule-candle burned while the family ate slices of yule-cake toasted and soaked in spiced ale.
No stirring the fire at the Yule supper Lore and belief Northern EnglandAt the northern Christmas Eve supper nobody was to stir the fire, move the candlestick or snuff the Yule candle, and nobody left the table until the meal was over.
Psaltries for luck while the Yule log kindles No longer kept EnglandOn Christmas Eve the new log was lit from last year's brand, and music was played while it caught so that good luck would come with its burning.
The Cleveland bessel cup No longer kept YorkshireChristmas singers in Cleveland carried a "bessel cup", that is a wassail cup, together with a boxed figure of the Virgin and Child decked with whatever ornaments they could gather.
The cock crows all night Lore and belief EnglandIt was held that on the night before Christmas the powers of darkness were helpless and no evil could touch mankind.
The devil’s knell at Dewsbury Still kept YorkshireOn Christmas Eve the church bells at Horbury, near Wakefield, and at Dewsbury were tolled as the "devil's knell".
The first yessle-cup singer Lore and belief Northern EnglandIn the North it was thought that turning away the first yessle-cup singer at Christmas without a gift meant losing the luck of the whole coming year.
The ox cake at Tretire No longer kept HerefordshireOn Christmas Eve at Tretire the farm men made a cake, pushed a stick through it and fixed it on the horn of an ox, saying words that begged a good crop of corn for the master.
The Yule log and the mock Lore and belief Cornwall, EnglandThe Yule log was brought in with ceremony on Christmas Eve and lit from the saved remains of the year before.
Unwashed hands and the Christmas fire Lore and belief EnglandMaids were warned to wash their hands before kindling the fire at Christmas, for a fire laid or lit with unwashed hands would not catch however hard they blew.

25 December

Folklore from the old calendars

A boon asked on Christmas Day Lore and belief EnglandIt was believed that anyone in a clean life who asked God for a boon on Christmas Day would be granted it, so far as it was right and good for him.
A dark first foot, because Judas was red Lore and belief YorkshireIn parts of the West Riding, the first person to enter a house on Christmas morning and New Year's morning had to be dark-haired, or the year would be unlucky.
A male first foot on Christmas morning Lore and belief EnglandEllis recorded a set of Christmas beliefs alongside the vessel-cup carol.
As many mince pies, so many happy months Lore and belief Cumberland, WestmorlandIn Westmorland and Cumberland it was said that you would have as many happy months in the coming year as mince pies you tasted at Christmas.
Choosing husbands and wives by streaks in the ashes Lore and belief EnglandIn the Christmas holidays young people read streaks in the ash-heap to learn who they would marry.

Customs

Monday 26 October🌕 Hunter’s Moon

Saturday 31 October

Hop tu Naa Festival at Cregneash

Thursday 5 November

Shebbear Turning the Devil’s Stone

Monday 9 November🌑 New moon

Tuesday 24 November🌕 Beaver Moon

Wednesday 9 December🌑 New moon

Thursday 24 December🌕 Cold Moon

Thursday 7 January🌑 New moon

Monday 11 January

Burning the Clavie

Friday 22 January🌕 Wolf Moon

Saturday 6 February🌑 New moon

Saturday 20 February🌕 Snow Moon

Monday 8 March🌑 New moon

Monday 22 March🌕 Worm Moon

Tuesday 6 April🌑 New moon

Tuesday 20 April🌕 Pink Moon