Birthday Candles
This is probably the best-known wishing method, and also the strongest, as it only comes once a year. This is not a wish you should waste on something like "I wish the guy at the coffee shop would remember my extra foam tomorrow."
With the cake in front of you, take a deep breath. The older you are, the more air you will need. Make your wish while you are still holding your breath. Now, blow. If you get all the candles blown out with one breath, you wish will come true. It is acceptable for very small children and very old people to receive assistance.

Falling Stars
This is a nice wish, because multiple people can wish on the same star.
All you have to do is see a falling star ("meteor," for the more scientifically minded), and make your wish. The only rule is that you must see the star yourself. A good time to get a wish like this is during a meteor shower.

The First Star
This happens every day, so it's good for your more mundane wishing.
When you see the first star that appears in the night sky, recite this rhyme:
Star light, star bright
First star I see tonight
I wish I may, I wish I might
Have the wish I wish tonight.
Then make your wish. You get even more mojo if you watched the sunset first.

Wishbones
Wishbones are found in any whole cooked fowl. Generally, the larger the bird, the stronger the wish.
This wish takes some preparation, as you have to let the wishbone dry out before using it. Overnight is usually good enough, although if you're in a hurry you could put it in a low oven for a few hours. Once the wishbone is dry, get someone else to hold one end while you hold the other. Close your eyes and make a wish, then pull apart the wishbone on the count of three. Whoever gets the larger piece has their wish come true. In the extremely unlikely event that the pieces are equal, both wishes come true.

Desserts
As far as I know, this is only a tradition in my family, but I feel that it is only fair to share and enjoy.
When you eat a slice of cake or pie, cut off the point before you start eating and save it for last. When you eat the point, make a wish.

Necklace Clasps
When the clasp on your necklace is turned all the way around to the front, someone else can turn it back for you and tell you to make a wish.
This doesn't work if you do it for yourself, so it's a good idea to train all your friends to keep an eye out.

Eyelashes
When an eyelash falls out, blow it off your fingertip and make a wish. Don't pull them out, though, not matter how desperate you are--all that will get you is funny-looking eyelashes.
Some say this is like the necklace wish in that only someone else can do it for you. See eyelash wish for details.

Dandelions
This is a very difficult wish to make come true, so I would suggest trying it out with something that's not very important until you get the hang of it.
Get a dandelion that has gone to seed; that is, the soft white puffy kind. Make your wish, then try to blow all the down off it in one breath. If you get it all off in one puff, your wish will come true.

Coins
I think this only works with man-made bodies of water, such as wells, fountains, koi ponds, log flume rides, and so on. If anyone has gotten results with rivers, lakes, the Marianas Trench, etc., let me know.
Take a coin of any denomination (bigger coins make stronger wishes). The coin should be of the currency of the country in which the wishing water is located, unless you are somewhere like Solvang or Chinatown, in which case it's probably better to use the currency of the country you are "supposed" to be in.

White Horses
If you see a white horse, you can make a wish, but only before you see its tail.

Ladybugs
LaggedyAnne says: "Iif a ladybug lands on you, say 'ladybug, ladybug, fly away home,' and if it flies off you wish!"

Acorns
If an acorn falls while you're standing under an oak tree, pick it up, turn around three times, and make a wish. Placing the acorn on a windowsill for three days afterwards increases the strength of the wish. This custom probably comes from the old Scandinavian tradition of putting an acorn in the window so that Thor would spare the house.

Books
If you accidentally drop a book, step on it with one foot and make a wish. Be sure to pick it up with the hand that's opposite the foot you used; otherwise, your wish won't come true.

Candles
If a candle goes out by itself before it's burned all the way down, quickly make a wish so the spirits can carry it to the wind. This is also supposed to ward off evil spirits.

Dew
If you find dew on a morning glory, wet your lips with it and make a wish.

Earrings
If you lose an earring, make a wish on the remaining one.

Feathers
If you find a black feather, stick it in the ground so it stands up, and make a wish.
If the feather you find is white, stick it into the crack of a tree trunk and walk around the tree as you make a wish. As long as the feather stays in the tree trunk there's a chance your wish will come true.

Grass
A circle of grass that's greener than the rest is called a fairy ring. Stand in the centre, turn around three times, and make a wish. If the fairy ring stays, it can be wished on once every three days.

Horses
The version I heard of the 'white horse' wish was to make a wish as soon as you see the horse, then look around for a red-headed woman. If you see one, your wish will come true.
Upon seeing a black horse, one must shake one's fist at it three times and make a wish. If the horse looks at you (possibly because of your strange behaviour) there's a better chance of your wish coming true.
If you see a grey horse, spit first, then make a wish.

Itching
If your nose itches, make a small 'x' on the tip and make a wish.
If your ear itches, cover it with one hand and make a wish that only good will be spoken about you.
If your eye itches, refrain from rubbing and instead cover it with one hand as you wish for something or someone you'd like to see.

Jockey
If you happen to see a jockey who's wearing his riding silks outside the racetrack, make a wish.

Knives
If you accidentally drop a knife or any other flatware, make a wish before picking it up.

Leaves
If you can catch a leaf that's falling from a tree - before it touches the ground - make a wish.

Moon
On the evening of your birthday, look at the moon and make a wish. A crescent with its tips pointing up means that the moon may withhold your wish. If the tips point down, your wish will spill forth. A full moon signifies a year of good luck.

Nuts
If you find two nuts in one shell where there should only be one, share the twin with someone, and you can both make a wish. The first one who remembers to say 'lucky nut' the next morning will get the wish.

Pins
A pin found with the point turned toward you means you may make a wish before picking it up.

Quilt
The purchase of a quilt entitles you to make a wish. Every time you touch the quilt after this, the wish will be reinforced.

Rainbows
When you see a rainbow, make a cross on the ground, and then make a wish.

Sneezing
Any time you sneeze, make a wish. If you sneeze again within three minutes, you'll cancel the wish.

Toes
If you stub a toe on your right foot, make a wish. Oddly enough, toes on your left foot don't count.

Underwear
If you discover that part of your underwear is showing, make a wish and adjust the garment. Failing to do so cancels the wish.

Vegetables
As you eat the first of any fresh vegetable of the season, make a wish.

Words spoken together
If by chance you and someone else say the same word simultaneously, you both should quickly lock little fingers of your right hands and each make a wish. Then each should speak the other's name, to secure the wish.

Yawning
If you can keep from yawning on seeing someone else yawn, make a silent wish. If you yawn within fifteen minutes, you'll cancel the wish.

Zoos
When going to the zoo, walk through the entrance backwards while making a wish. When leaving the zoo, remember to walk out of the exit backwards.


A way to ensure success of wishes is to say and do the following: 'touch blue and your wish will come true'.

I thought of a few more, which I am adding here for the sake of completeness...


Pennies

If you find a penny on the ground, pick it up and throw it as far as you can. If you finish making your wish before the penny hits the ground, your wish will come true! (Be careful to throw the penny in a direction away from people or fragile objects!)

Snowflakes

The first snowflake of winter is lucky! The first time a snowflake lands on your hand, make a wish as fast as you can. If you make your wish before it melts, it might come true!

Pizza

I heard that if you suck out all the cheese out of the crust of a slice of Pizza Hut brand Stuffed Crustpizza before a child under the age of 8 sitting at the same table as you counts to 14, you get to make a wish. But it only works with Pizza Hut pizza and you have to be in an actual Pizza Hut restaurant, not eating take-out or delivery.

Baby Farts

Everytime a baby farts, make a wish. This is a good one, because babies actually fart a lot, so if you live with a baby you can get lots of wishes! Unfortunately, the rule is that your wishes can only be about how much better your life would be if you didn't have to live with this fucking baby.

Unicorns

Unicorns are magical wishing machines. Everytime you see one you get to make at least one wish, sometimes even two or three!

Also, for every wish you make, the unicorn dies a little.

Josef Stalin

It is a well known fact that Josef Stalin loved his fellow man so much, that even after he died part of his spirit remained on this mortal coil to continue making dreams come true, just as he did in life. Everytime two people accidentally say the phrase "Josef Stalin, Father of the Russian people" at exactly the same time, the person who shouts "Gulag!" the fastest gets to wish for anything they want!!!!

Puppies

For every puppy you kill, one wish comes true.

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