From our earliest memories of
childhood, we can remember family or friends telling us not to step on the
cracks in the sidewalks because it will “break your mother’s back.”
Remember running from black cats
because your friend told you if it crossed your path you would have bad luck?
Most of these superstitions become so
ingrained in modern societies that we don’t realize their origins. For
instance, the idea that walking under a ladder will bring you bad luck came
from Egypt 5,000 years ago.
How about the warning that spilling
salt is unlucky? That came from the ancient Sumerians. As old as some of these
ideas, it’s always amazing how many have survived and have been adapted into
the beliefs and habits of modern people.
Celebrating your birthday in
Argentina
According to the Vamos Spanish Academy, never
celebrate your birthday or say happy birthday before the actual day; it’s bad
luck. Instead, people should greet you “feliz día” (happy day) on the days
leading up to it.
Keep an elephant in
your house if you live in Brazil
If you’re broke or just in need of
some more money, keep a figurine or statue of an elephant in your home.
According to superstitionsof.com you must always place the elephant with its
tail pointing toward the door.
Don’t pass the salt
in Chile
Never pass the salt from your hand
directly to your partners hand because it is thought to lead to a falling out
with that person. Instead, place the salt on
the table near them.
In China beware of
a crow bearing gifts
The Chinese have a superstition about
the timing of a crow’s cawing. As the folklore goes, hearing a crow cawing
between 3 and 7 a.m. means the hearer will receive gifts; hearing a crow caw
between 7 and 11 a.m. means rain and wind; and between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. means
quarrels and fights.
Cooking in Egypt?
Use a lot of salt
Maria Laborde of
travelthemiddleeast.com recommends that if you are cooking and you want your
meal to taste wonderful you must first throw salt over your shoulder. This old
Egyptian tale also suggests gasping at a pot of boiling garlic before you start
your cooking.
In England pin bay
leaves to your pillow
On the eve of St. Valentine’s Day a woman should pin bay leaves to her pillow,
one at each corner and one in the middle. She will then dream of her future
love, or the man she will marry.
In France poor
baguette etiquette will leave you broke
Don’t put a
baguette or a loaf of bread on a table upside-down. According to legend, this
invites famine into the household.
Don’t cross your
fingers in Germany
In America and Britain, crossing your
fingers is said to bring good luck. But learnoutlive.com says that in Germany
it means you are lying.
The evil eye of
Greece
A common superstition in Greece is
someone cursing you with an evil eye. One way to ward off this evil according
to athensguide.com is to wear a blue or turquoise glass charm. Such charms are
regularly sold in Greece and are very often pinned on a baby's clothing.
Don‘t sit at the
corner of a table in Hungary
Seven
years’ bad luck will follow a diner who sits at the corner of a table.
Nail trimming could
bring bad luck in India
Bad luck will follow if you trim your
nail or touch a nail clipper at night or on a Saturday. According to
dnaindia.com your life will be happy and full of good luck if you groom them
during the daytime.
Respect your
blacksmith in Ireland
The Irish
blacksmith is highly respected because it is believed he has the power to ward
off bad spirits and diseases. This is why the Irish place metals on the highest
shelves or levels of their home.
Thumb turning,
headache curing in Istanbul
A bronze-plated column inside Instanbul’s Hagia Sophia (a church, turned mosque,
turned museum) has special healing powers. Visitors rotate their thumbs
clockwise in a full circle around the plate hoping for a cure anything from
troublesome headaches to gout.
Keep the dead
confused in Italy
An
after-death ritual that keeps a dead person’s spirit from returning. Those
carrying the coffin to the cemetery return home by another route. This is
thought to confuse the dead.
In Japan don‘t
place your pillow to the north
If you want to live longer, make sure you are aware of the
direction you rest your head. Placing a pillow toward north is a rule when you
lay a body during funerals, so it is considered bad luck for the living.
Beware the moth in
Mexico
An old wives tale says that black
witch moth flying into your home is a bad omen. The
moth is bat-shaped, dark in color, nocturnal and pretty big. Female moths can
have wingspans of more than six inches.
A New Zealand
sailor always takes his pig
When sailors began tattooing
themselves, a rooster and a pig were popular and often tattooed onto sailors’
feet. According to the New Zealand Maritime Museum, it was believed these
animals would prevent the sailors from drowning and show them to safety if the
ship should sink.
In the Philippines,
never leave your purse on the ground
Expect bad financial luck, or even
going broke if you leave your wallet or purse on the floor. On the opposite of
the spectrum, according to The Motley Fool, you should wear clothing with polka
dots; it is believed that the circles attract wealth and fortune.
Don’t drop your
ring in Romania
If you are standing in front of your
bride at your wedding ceremony, make sure your hands are dry from sweat before
you reach for your bride’s ring to put on her finger. According to Romanian
wedding tradition, if the groom drops his bride's ring, the marriage is doomed.
In Russia, give an
odd number of flowers
According to the Moscow Times, always
give an odd number of flowers in a bouquet for a birthday or other celebration
or when invited to someone's home. Bouquets with an even numbers of flowers are
only for funerals.
pilling coffee is
good luck in Saudi Arabia
Spilling your coffee in Saudi Arabia is
seen as good luck and will be welcomed with laughs and jokes. But if you spill
your coffee in western countries in the morning, it might signal that the rest
of the day will be bad.
In Spain stay in on
Tuesday the 13th
The word “Martes,” which is “Tuesday”
in Spanish, comes from the Roman god of war, Mars. This day could see
bloodshed, violence or even death. Constantinople
supposedly fell on a Tuesday during the Fourth Crusade.
Choose your name
wisely in Thailand
New Thai parents must choose names
very carefully for their newborns. Many parents, consult an astrologer or monk to select a name that will bring the child good
fortune, health and happiness.
In the U.K. keep
your shoes off the table
It is believed there will be a death
in your family if you put you new shoes on the table.
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