The night of 29 November, when girls asked about love
In Poland it is Andrzejki, in Ukraine Andriivski vechornytsi, in Romania the Night of St Andrew: the evening before 30 November has been a night of fortune games for centuries.
Here are four of them, ready on one screen. Pour wax through a key and read the shadow on the wall, lift one of the upturned cups, walk everyone's shoes to the door, or throw an apple peel and see which letter it makes.
Every result is drawn at random and every reading is the traditional one. It is a party game, not a prophecy.
How to play
Choose a fortune at the top of the scene.
Pick wax, cups, shoes or apple peel.
Press the button: pour the wax, hide the items, walk the shoes or throw the peel.
Read the meaning under the scene, then let the next person try.
What is on the table
Four old games, one for each kind of evening.
- Wax that sets into one of twelve shapes, each with its reading
- A shadow of the wax on a candlelit wall
- Three to six cups hiding a ring, a coin, a heart, a key, a letter or a leaf
- The shoe walk for 2 to 12 names, with the door coming closer each move
- An apple peel that lands as a letter of your language's alphabet
- Results drawn with a secure random generator
- Instant results for people who turn off animations
- No sign-up, works on a phone or a big screen
Made for
Any evening around 29 November.
A girls' night on St Andrew's Eve.
A Polish, Ukrainian or Romanian class learning the customs.
A school or club Andrzejki party on a projector.
A video call with friends far away.
A quick laugh at the office on 29 November.
How the results are drawn
Every pour, cup, shoe walk and peel uses a secure random generator, so no shape or letter comes up more often than another.
In the shoe game the starting line and the distance to the door are drawn first; the moves that follow only play the old rule out: the last shoe always goes to the front.
Good to know
This is entertainment. The readings are folk tradition, not advice.
Nothing is saved except the names for the shoe game, which stay in this browser.
The shoe game takes up to twelve names so the corridor stays readable.
Tips for the evening
- Put the screen where everyone can see the wall and argue about the shadow.
- Let each guest pour the wax once, then compare shapes.
- For the shoe game, type the names in the order people arrive.
St Andrew's Eve questions
When is St Andrew's Eve?
On the evening of 29 November, the night before St Andrew's Day on 30 November.
What does the wax shape mean?
Each of the twelve shapes has its traditional reading: a ring for a wedding, a ship for a journey, a key for a new door, and so on.
How does the shoe game work?
Shoes stand heel to toe from the far wall; the last one always moves to the front. The owner of the first shoe over the threshold marries first.
Are the wax shapes and letters random?
Yes. Every shape, cup, shoe walk and letter is drawn with a secure random generator.
Do I need an account to tell fortunes?
No. Open the page and play.