When it comes to any folklore or cultural traditions, I'm a sucker for the customs that are "for the girls". Ladies, this one's for you.
In the Czech Republic, unmarried women have a unique "ritual" around the holidays. On Christmas Eve, they stand outside of their houses and grab a pair of shoes. Turning around to face the street, they take a deep breath and throw one of the shoes over their shoulder. What happens next is critical.
If the shoe thrown lands pointing towards the door, it means that she will get married within the next year. Pretty exciting if you're looking for a partner to hunker down with by the next holiday season!
I love this custom because it reminds me of a tradition from my own family. Every Fall, I'd go apple picking with my sisters and mom. When we returned home, we'd make a big apple pie. Sounds pretty standard, but here's the twist: the apples could tell you who you'd someday marry.
After peeling the apples, we would take take the long peel, turn around, and each throw it over our shoulders. Whatever letter that peel looked like, it was the first initial of your soulmate's name! It's worth noting that the range of letters for this exercise was pretty limited (you get a lot of C's, J's and I's) -- but still a fun tradition nevertheless.
While these traditions are historically for the ladies, I think everyone should try them out this holiday season. Whether you're looking for a partner or not, everyone likes to predict the future, especially when it comes to ~love~.