Passed. Here we are again. A new December 31st is here, another ideal occasion to stuff yourself with sweets and Mantecol. There was also a wonderful excuse to indulge in magical thinking. Because the New Year needs to be supported and there are several rituals specifically designed to attract wealth and abundance.
Some are quite well known. For example, eating 12 grapes, which symbolize wishes for the next twelve months. It turns out that this custom, which I thought came from an ancient pagan rite, has a much more recent origin. At the beginning of the 20th century, wine producers in the Alicante region consumed a grape at the stroke of midnight to celebrate the success of the grape harvest. For me, the fact that it’s so new takes away some of its magical aura, but I won’t be the one to stand in the way of eating fruit around the holidays. Better: more Mantecol for me.
Other rituals include underwear: red to arouse passion, yellow to bring money closer. Of course you can’t buy it yourself. They have to give it to you and you have to release it that same night for its strange textile magic to work. I don’t know the origin of this custom and I’m not sure I want to know. In some Latin American countries, including ours, people walk around the block with a suitcase in anticipation of new trips and sweep the house to get rid of the “bad energy” of the year that is coming to an end.
The most common rituals so far. But now there are others. Social networks gave birth to a new generation of digital witches and astrologers. And this year they have invaded our country like no other feeds And stories with all kinds of spells to face the beginning of the season.
Would you like to buy your own home in 2026? According to Instagram shamans, you need to perform the key ritual. You wrap it in a high-denomination bill and put it in your right shoe at 11:59 p.m. Today. If you have an extra key left over, you can put it in a bowl of lentils so that your house “has good economy.” Of course: place it away from the main table so you don’t spend the evening looking for a mouth guard for an unsuspecting guest.
If you’re in the market for a new car, place a toy car in the entryway of your home next to a stone of pyrite – a yellow mineral that resembles gold. You can even use your spice rack: One report recommends burning rosemary to attract good luck and prosperity—in addition to attracting the attention of volunteer firefighters. With three bay leaves in a glass of water you can “protect yourself and clear paths”. Let them soak until the end of the night and then throw them into the ground.
Ritual for money? I wrote on a piece of paper, “Money comes easy to me.” Place three coins, cinnamon and a bill on top. Press it into your hands and affirm: “I increase what I am, not just what I have.” Keep this paper in your wallet throughout 2026.
They can also “manifest” better work. I wrote on a piece of paper: “Today I confidently declare that the perfect job for me is already on the way.” It’s like a letter to Santa Claus, only written by an adult.
There are even instructions for finding love: Light a pink candle with your name on the base. Next to her I placed two rose quartz crystals tied with a red ribbon and repeated, “I am chosen, I am loved, I am reciprocated.”
If all that fails and you start 2026 with a plantar injury from walking too long with a key in your shoe, the curtains saturated with a strong scent of burnt rosemary that no liquid soap can remove, and disabling carpal tunnel syndrome from writing too many letters that the universe doesn’t respond to, there is a Plan B. Get up every day, work hard, hang out with people who are good to you, adopt a dog or cat, enjoy a movie, a book, a concert, etc. Take advantage of the opportunities, big and small, that the new year offers.
Maybe it sounds too esoteric, but who knows. It can work.
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