New Year: Filaniya’s exclusive rite

For seven days before New Year, avoid using new things — combs, hairpins, belts, straps, and other accessories, for example. And it is best not to wear newly bought clothes either. Save everything new for New Year's Eve!

Never sew on buttons just before New Year — or you will never shake off your old problems in the coming year. Never take shoes in for repair, or you will own no new shoes in the year ahead. Buy no small household goods, except gifts, or you will make no large purchases in the new year.

From 31 December to 19 January, borrow nothing from anyone — and this means not only money but things too. Otherwise you will spend the whole year in need. At the same time, never greet the New Year with empty pockets.

Tuck small banknotes of different denominations into the pockets of all your outdoor clothing — and you will be flush all year.

Seven days before New Year, all furniture must already have been rearranged, if you planned to move it.

If your affairs have been going badly of late, try moving 40 objects around the house while cleaning, seven days before New Year arrives.

Here is the prayer to read on the eve of the new year:

"O Lord God, Maker and Creator of all things visible and invisible, who hast made the seasons and the years, bless Thyself the New Year beginning this day, which we reckon from Thine incarnation for our salvation.

Grant that we may spend this year and many after it in peace and harmony with our neighbours; strengthen and spread Thy Holy Universal Church, which Thou Thyself didst found at Jerusalem and hallow by the redeeming sacrifice of Thy holy Body and most pure Blood.

Exalt, preserve, and glorify our homeland; grant us length of days, health, abundance of the fruits of the earth, and wholesome air; and me, Thy sinful servant, all my kin and neighbours, and all right-believing Christians, as our true supreme Shepherd, guard, shelter, and establish on the path of salvation, so that, following it after a long and prosperous life in this world, we may attain Thy Heavenly Kingdom and be granted eternal bliss with Thy saints.

You may perform this ritual. As the chimes strike, take a glass of champagne in your left hand and a coin in your right. Or put money in your pocket or your shoe — the main thing is to have at least some small coin on you.

Write your wishes on slips of paper, burn them, drop the ashes into your champagne glass, and drink it while the clock strikes. Never make wishes containing the word "not". Instead of "not to be ill", wish "to be healthy", for example.

The New Year table should hold no fewer than 12 fasting dishes — for the 12 months of the year — and then your household will prosper all year. Do not forget to set bread and salt on it, as tradition demands: they are a symbol of well-being.

Festive dishes should be cooked before midnight, or so it is believed. Otherwise you may "cut away" your happiness with a knife.

Light a candle and pour holy water into an earthenware bowl; then dip all 10 fingers into the water and say:

"Lord God! Bless me! In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, amen! As God fastened earth to heaven, water, and stars, and as upon this mother earth there is no sickness or sorrow, so has God made me, His servant (name), firmly establishing and strongly fortifying my veins and bones, my white body. May I, God's servant (name), know no illness, suffering, wounds, or torment in the coming year. By the one archangelic key: unto ages of ages, amen!"

To greet the new year, you may use not only the traditional decorations (tinsel, garlands) but all kinds of little bells and jingle bells. Acquire a symbol of the year — a figurine, a picture, or a soft toy.

If you want a wish to come true — a journey somewhere, say — place a symbol of your wish among the fir branches, hang amulets (crosses, medallions) on the tree, or lay bed linen and clothes beneath it to keep from falling ill.

Since ancient times there has been a custom of dressing the New Year tree with edible gingerbread and sweets, to increase prosperity. None of it is taken down until you decide to carry the tree out, and if there is something you never got round to — do not worry, Christmas is still ahead.

It is not good to greet the holiday in an all-female company. If it so happens that only ladies sit at the table, once you have seen in the New Year, be sure to go and congratulate the neighbours. It is also a good omen, right after New Year arrives, to stroke the head of a male creature — even a pet will do... And if the first to congratulate you in the New Year is a man, it means luck.

Never serve crayfish, crab, or lobster on New Year's Eve. These creatures have a habit of walking backwards, which means you will keep returning to old problems again and again in the coming year.

• Two little pouches, one black and one red. You can sew them from scraps or simply glue them from coloured paper — any version of yours will do.

• 2 candles. Preferably red and black (or dark blue) again. If that is not possible, two plain white candles.

The ritual is performed on New Year days, from 1 to 7 January.

Take your Tarot cards and think hard about what you would like to be rid of. What evil must leave your life? What do you want to throw out once and for all? Name to yourself the three chief problems, the three negatives.

Think of work; of money; of yourself; of other people; of love; of sex; of friendship; of health; of study; of God; of life; of parents, and so on.

Now choose from the deck the cards that embody these things. If money was tight this year and funds ran short, for instance, choose the 5 of Pentacles as that problem (remember, it is called the "beggars' card"?). If your house rings with quarrels or you are trapped in a love triangle, take the 3 of Swords. If you are unwell, the 9 of Swords will do; if you owe the bank or face legal troubles, you may take the Last Judgement. If your husband's jealousy torments you, take the Moon. If you are weary of loneliness, the deck holds the Hermit. If your home is an endless building site, a ruin, or you have none at all — the Tower, and so on.

Once you have named all three negative cards, best print them out or draw them (no great artistry needed — as best you can), or take their copies from the book's insert. This is because you will have to destroy them, and there is no need to spoil your deck for that.

Now take the deck again and choose three cards to stand for what you would like to gain in the New Year, what you wish to draw into your life. If you hope at last to buy a car, take the Chariot; for luck, the Wheel of Fortune; to meet your love, the Knight of Cups or the 2 of Cups; for a high income, the 10 of Pentacles; for wisdom in running a business, the High Priestess, or the High Priest if you are a man. If you are in a relationship and want to start a family, the Lovers will suit you; take the World if that is your dearest wish, and so on.

"78 cards, sisters and brothers, godfathers and godmothers, matchmakers male and female, uncles and aunts, fathers and mothers, daughters and stepdaughters, sons and stepsons, mothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, fathers-in-law and mothers-in-law, sons-in-law and brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law and daughters-in-law — you are all black, you are all white, you are all red, you are all many-coloured, warm and cold, joyful and wicked. I summon you all! And the arcana (name your chosen arcana) I pronounce! Serve me truly, befriend me unfailingly. Rid me of — then speak your intention aloud, the problem to be rid of, as convincingly and clearly as you can. My word is firm and sticks to the cards. Amen."

Place the card in the black pouch. Do the same with the remaining two cards. Take the pouch in your hands and speak the incantation once more, naming all three arcana and all three problems you wish to shed. Then snuff out the candle.

"78 cards, sisters and brothers, godfathers and godmothers, matchmakers male and female, uncles and aunts, fathers and mothers, daughters and stepdaughters, sons and stepsons, mothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, fathers-in-law and mothers-in-law, sons-in-law and brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law and daughters-in-law — you are all black, you are all white, you are all red, you are all many-coloured, warm and cold, joyful and wicked. I summon you all! And the arcana (name your chosen arcana) I entreat! Serve me truly, befriend me unfailingly. Grant me — then speak your intention aloud, your true wish, as convincingly and clearly as you can. My word is firm and sticks to the cards. Amen."

Lay the arcana in the red pouch. Then do just the same with the two remaining cards. Take the red pouch in your hands and speak the incantation once more, naming all three arcana and all three wishes for how you want your heart's desire granted. Then snuff out the candle.

Gaze into the circle before performing the next steps.

Put the red pouch in your left pocket. Carry the black pouch out of the house, compose yourself, and dwell on how you are truly carrying the problems and negativity out of your home and your life. Then destroy it — burn it, picturing how you burn those very problems; you may list them. When you are done, take the red pouch from your left pocket and carry it ceremonially into the house, picturing how what you have wished for enters your home, how your wishes come true, and how glad you are. A feeling of joy must spark in your soul like a spark — that is essential.

Then you may tuck this pouch under the fir tree or hang it on the tree itself, for no less than a full day. After that you may open the pouch and return the cards to the deck. Use this Tarot deck as before — while you work, the deck will feed your wish arcana with energy, just as you yourself will feed them subconsciously with your own energy. But even if you do not use Tarot cards in your work, this deck will now be your good-luck talisman. Keep it at home, where no one but you may touch it.

On 1 January, do no cleaning, especially no sweeping or throwing out rubbish — it promises losses. Do no heavy or dirty work either, or you will drudge all year. On the first day of the new year, never quarrel or shout at one another, or the whole year will pass in quarrels.

On 2 January, buy no shoes (though most shops will be shut anyway). After sunset on this day, sing no songs and pin no brooches on yourself — it bodes no good...

6 January is the eve of Orthodox Christmas. Eat nothing until the first star on this day. If fasting is hard for you, eat at least fasting food only. Nor should you do a thorough cleaning of the house.

On 7 January, drink no water at breakfast or lunch (other drinks are allowed). Lying and swearing are forbidden on this day.