In the Hycathic calendar, January 1 is known as “Old and New.” It is seen as an opportunity to start fresh and begin a new year with fun and family. Between Yule and Old and New, people send each other lovely cards and letters talking about their lives over the past year and their hopes for the future.
On the day, people dress up in costumes and go door to door. These costumes were traditionally figures from Hycathic history and fairy tales. There is a long tradition of elaborate masks, the oldest of which were carved from wood and can be seen on display in the Historic Northreach Museum. But nowadays it is common to see a whole range of pop stars, fictional characters, and internet sensations alongside the mythic characters of old. As people go visiting, they often perform little skits and silly songs that they’ve been practicing since Yule. It is customary for those they visit to offer them some refreshment, such as hot cider, mulled wine, and sweets.
As day turns to night, people turn their minds to the year to come and their hopes for the future. It is tradition to write down your wishes and goals for the new year on a slip of paper (known as a “whisper”), say a prayer to Hecate, and burn it without letting anyone else see it. This creates a pact between the whisperer and Hecate that they will both work to make those goals a reality.
So if you’ve got a wish for the year to come, don’t forget to “whisper” it to Hecate today.
