The trade of the husband that is to be may be guessed at by throwing the white of a raw egg into a glass of water, and exposing it to the rays of the noonday sun at Christmas or Midsummer. The egg in coagulating assumes curious and fantastic forms, and these are interpreted to denote the trade or profession of him whom the girl who tries the charm is destined to marry. A sort of divination to the same effect is also practised by pouring molten lead into water. A spell which requires to be performed in society is as follows. On any of the solemn nights about Christmastide, when spells are supposed to be efficaciously used, a number of girls meet together and make a chaplet in perfect silence, by stringing grains of allspice and berries of holly alternately, placing, at intervals of twelve, an acorn, of which there must be as many as there are persons in the company. This chaplet is twined round a log of wood, which is then placed on the blazing hearth, and, as the last acorn is being consumed, each of the young women sees the form of her future husband pass between her and the fire.[211] Another social spell consists in making a cake, to which each person in the company contributes a portion of flour, salt, and water, together with a hair from her own head, or parings from the nails. When the cake is kneaded--an operation in which all must take a part--it is placed on the hearth to bake. A table is then set out in the middle of the room, and covered with a clean cloth. As many plates are laid out as there are persons present, and as many seats placed round the table, each girl designating her own. The cake, when thoroughly baked, is placed on the board, and the girls watch in solemn silence until the hour of midnight, when, exactly as the clock strikes twelve, the appearances of the future husbands are seen to enter, and seat themselves in the chairs prepared for them; each girl, however, seeing only her own husband that is to be, those of her companions remaining invisible to her. Should anyone of the party be destined to die unmarried, instead of the appearance of a man, she sees a coffin. The spell is broken, should a single word be uttered from the moment when the ingredients for the cake are first produced, until the whole of the ceremony is completed.[212] The charmed cake may also be used by a person alone, in which case the manner of proceeding is as follows. The cake, which should be composed of equal quantities of flour, salt, and soot, must be made and baked in secret and in silence. On retiring to rest it must be divided into two equal portions, one of which must be eaten by the person who tries the charm, but no water or other liquid is to be drunk with it. The other half is to be wrapped up in the garter taken from the left leg, and placed under the pillow. At midnight the form of the future husband will stand at the bedside and be seen by his intended bride.[213]