Rensselaer Journal, Volume 12, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 December 1902 — New Year Superstitions. [ARTICLE]

New Year Superstitions.

With the exception of All-Saints’ Day there is no time in the whole twelvemonth about which so many superstitions cluster as New Year’s. Some form of divination to foretell the future is practiced in almost every land on January 1. This, of course, is practically the case with young people who desire to know whether they will get married during the coming year or soon thereafter. In the country districts of England and Germany there is a tea and coffee test which is most satisfactory. A teaspoon is balanced carefully on the edge of a cup. Then tea or coffee, as the case may be, is dropped into it, drop by drop. Every drop that the spoon will hold without losing its balance means another year before the wedding. Qne or two large drops will usually upset the spoon, and so this it a very popular way of looking intq the future, especially with maidens who are reaching mature years.