© Thomas Helbig
Every year at the end of December, Austrians visit Christmas markets and buy special spoons and small packages of silver. Then the metal is melted on a spoon under a candle and dropped into a bowl of cold water. As the result, there is a figure, which is believed to be the symbol of the coming year. The figure could be put in front of the candlelight to create a shadow, which can be interpreted as well. This tradition comes from ancient Greece and is still popular in some areas.
