The “13 Magical Nights” and AMOR FATI
13 wishes for the new year
Oslo, Norway
December, 30th 2025
I have been keeping my soul open for magic… and when I saw a beautiful post on Instagram from “thatglasgowwitch” on winter solstice about “walking the 13 magical nights” I got super excited and knew I had to do it too.
The “13 magical nights” is a spiritual tradition involving writing 13 wishes on a piece of papir for the new year to come, starting on the night of winter solstice (or some start the 25th of December). The “13 magical nights” originate from ancient Germanic, Celtic and Norse traditions, a mystical “in-between” time from Winter Solstice to Epiphany when the veil between the worlds is thin, used for cleansing with smoke and setting intentions for the year, with rituals involving burning wishes for each night/month. The “13 magical night” is also called Rauhnachte. Rauch means smoke in German and in this context it refers to the custom of walking through stables and houses with incense to cleanse them of evil spirits and to bless the home for the new year.
The idea is that you burn one wish each night after the sun has gone down for 12 days without reading the wishes, just picking one random note - releasing the wish to the universe - and on the 13 night you open the one piece of paper left. This last wish is used to manifest the wish through action for the year to come and is symbolizing trust in self empowerment and the universe for the year ahead.
I find it liberating to let go of the control and I also love the time I take each night for my self burning my wish and freeing it to the universe. Self love in action!
Amor fati… I will put my last wish inside my medallion so I can carry it with me at all times. The medallion is a vintage piece from Portugal with gorgeous hand chiseling pattern. I already carry a photo of my husband and daughter, a note from my daughter, a small medallion inside the medallion and now soon the wish for the coming year (just missing a Xanax and I will be good to go…).
I also got an extra hand engraved message on the back of the medallion saying: “amor fati”. Amor fati is a latin phase translating as “love of fate”. Amor fati is a mindset from stoic philosophy that encourages embracing everything that happens in life - good and bad. It is not meant as passive resignation, like just giving up, but actively choosing to love what is - and I find this so beautiful. Amor fati really helps me find peace and purpose by falling in love with my life exactly as my life unfolds itself, with all the goods and all the bads.
“My formula for greatness in a human being is amor fati: that one wants nothing to be different, not forward, not backward, not in all eternity, not merely bear what is necessary, still less conceal it... but love it”
Due to my health challenges there are many things I can’t do that others take for granted. But this Christmas I got a beautiful gift from my husband and daughter - a polaroid camera - and I will use this camera to document what I actually can experience and cherish these precious moments of joy - as an act of amor fati.
I wish you all the very best for 2026 - may we find peace, joy and maybe amor fati can be of help to us all.
Love and light, until next time, MC
