Cromniomancy
Form of divination by means of onions. It was usually practiced
on Christmas Eve to obtain information about absent persons.
One method was to inscribe the names of absent friends
on individual onions and leave them undisturbed on a table
until they began to sprout. The onion that sprouted most rapidly
indicated that the person whose name had been inscribed
on it was enjoying vigorous health.
Another method was to obtain an answer to a question by inscribing
alternative answers on individual onions; the correct
answer was said to be that on the onion which sprouted first.
Some also believed that wishes would come true if they burned
onion skins on a fire.
