First, let me wish you and yours a happy new year 2018. Hard to believe we're there already, isn't it?

I find the custom of jingling coins in your pocket harmless enough, and I happen to like girls in polka dots.

The custom we observe in Germany is fun, but more dangerous if one isn't careful, and it certainly is pretty toxic for the environment as well. So much so, the EU came to a decision banning the sale of related supplies starting 2018. For once, I agree with Brussels.

I'm talking of molybdomancy, of course, a tradition, by which lead is smelted over a candle. The liquid lead is then dumped into cold water and makes bizarre shapes as it hardens, which we interpret as omens for the coming year. I doubt anybody believes in this divination nowadays, but the custom is still widely spread, for entertainment if nothing else.

Here is a picture of one of the shapes one obtains with molybdomancy, from Micha Rieser over at Wikimedia. You might interpret this a the shape of a whale, so it seems to fit right in here at Steemit, promising "lotsa mowney" :-) Unfortunately, a whale promises only lotsa fat in the next year, so a diet is advised.