Wish

Sharing wishes with strangers makes a powerful emotional statement.

Best Wishes

I have never had the privilege of welcoming in the New Year in the country of Finland. My ancestors were from Finland and Lapland. There was one part of the Finnish New Year tradition that was brought to America with our family. It took into account well wishes for all, in the new year. I remember uudenvuodentina was still being practiced in our family when I was a youngster. It was a very serious, yet joyful event, hopefully controlled by and with an outcome of good wishes. Marianna

At one time tin, later lead was melted in a large ladle over an open fire, then poured into a bucket of cold water. The different shapes, instantly created when the molten lead hit the cold water, all represented different wishes, or life events.

I believe there is some correlation between this ancient ritual and visiting a Shinto shrine to hang up  wooden plaques, called ema. This done in remembrance of the people who have come before them, in the hopes that spirits will grant their wish. I would hang my  own ema, ‘I wish to spend eternity’ with the Japanese I knew.’

“In Finland, shops sell ladles and small bullions in the shape of a horseshoe for this express purpose. Originally made from tin, now they are made from cheaper low-melting alloys based on lead. The practice is known as uudenvuodentina.The world’s largest uudenvuodentina, 41 kilograms (90 lb), was cast by members of the Valko volunteer fire department in Loviisa, Finland, in New Year 2010.” Molybdomancy

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