Saint Catherine’s Day, also called the Feast of Saint Catherine, is 25 November. In Poland, bachelors celebrate the Eve of this holiday called “Katarzynki” by fortune-telling. Young men try to figure out when and who they will get married to.
Before any divination, the bachelors unanimously recited a poem for the success of it:
Hej! Kasiu, Katarzynko Gdzie szukać cię dziewczynko Wróżby o ciebie zapytam Czekaj – wkrótce zawitam Bawmy się więc w Katarzyny Szukajcie chłopaki dziewczyny Zapytać więc trzeba wróżby A nuż potrzebne już drużby
Bachelors put girly things under the pillow, e.g. pieces of clothing or bird feathers. The objects were supposed to bring a prophetic dream about the future bride. They also put in cards with the first letters of names or whole female names, which were to be drawn at random right after waking up.
Also, they had fun with cups. The fortune-telling game with cups consisted in drawing objects hidden under them. The first one symbolized marriage (e.g. a wedding ring), the second one – the inflow of wealth (e.g. coins), the third one – good work (e.g. grain), and the last one – temporary stagnation (e.g. empty cup).
It could be said that Saint Catherine’s Day is an equivalent of the holiday Andrzejki for Polish bachelors.
In Poland, Saint Andrew’s Day (Polish: “Andrzejki”) is celebrated on the night of the 29th through 30 November. Traditionally, the holiday was only observed by young single girls, though today both young men and women join the party to see their futures. The main ceremony involved pouring hot wax from a candle through the hole in a key into cold water.
Check the 3 fortune telling games:
St. Andrew’s heart
Cut a heart out of paper and then write the girls’ names on one side and the boys’ names on the other. Each participant must have their eyes covered and pierce the heart with a pin from the other side. The name you hit during the game belongs to your future chosen one.
Ink shot
Pour ink onto the sheet. Guess the symbol that was made of the stain. You can check its meaning in the dream book!
Floating dreams
Write down your dreams on small pieces of paper. Then drop your greeting cards into a bowl filled with water. The first dream that make the surface will come true!