The Wishing Project
Wishing Traditions Around the World
Wishing on a Day or Season
The "ides" of the ancient Roman calendar fell on the 15th days of March, May, July and October and on the 13th days of the other months. Within an hour after midnight of an ides, and before speaking to anyone, you should cross your arms on your chest, touch each shoulder with the opposite hand, and silently make a wish, repeating it in your mind three times; then lightly nod your head three times before taking your arms out of the crossed position. The quotation, "Beware the Ides of March" is from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. This wishing custom may have derived as a counteraction to the danger implied by the Shakespearean reference.
The equinoxes and solstices are "season cross-over" times: the spring/vernal equinox (about March 21); the summer solstice (about June 21); the autumnal equinox (about September 22); and the winter solstice (about December 22). On the day that a new season begins, make a wish after the official "cross-over" time, while crossing your fingers. The closer to the exact time, the better the chance of your wish coming true.
The expression "once in a blue moon" means that something doesn't happen often. A "blue moon" refers to a second full moon that occurs in one month. (It happens about ten times in eighteen years.) The blue moon is powerful to wish upon. Make your wish while looking at the blue moon. Say,
“Blue moon, blue moon, true blue moon.”
Twelve times a year there is a "white rabbit night." It's the last night of a month - or you might call it the first midnight to morning period of a new month. If you say "white rabbit" three times - sometime after midnight, and before you speak to anyone - you may make a wish for good luck for that month. Another belief is that on the first day of any month, before speaking to anyone, you must say, "white rabbits" for luck. Some say "hares and rabbits," and some just say "rabbits."
On the first day of May, go outside in the morning and wet your face with dew as you make a wish.
A wish made on a goose on May 1, which is Mother Goose Day, has a powerful chance of coming true. Make your wish and then shout at the goose:
"Mother Goose, Mother Goose, go and set my good wish loose."
If the goose runs away, your wish may come true.
On July 1, origami papers with written wishes should be hung from a branch (preferably of a bamboo tree) so that two special stars will read them and make the wishes come true. The two special stars are, according to Japanese legend, a young man and a princess who are in love but are allowed to see each other only once a year, on July 1, a special wishing day.
On the first day of August, you should make a wish on your wedding ring. Twist the ring around two times as you make your wish. The double turning represents the two who made vows over the ring.
