Superstitions
There are many superstitions that we all carry out, often without even thinking about it or without ever considering the origins of them.
Many of the origins are unknown, and the ones that are known there are several different theories about how they started so even these are not known for sure.
Below are some of the most well known:
Rabbits feet
It is lucky to carry a rabbit’s foot (unless you are the rabbit that lost it!)
Friday 13th
In ancient times the number 13 and the day Friday were both unlucky, so when they were put together it made for a very unlucky day. Witches at the time, gathered in covens of twelve as the thirteenth was seen as the devil.
In the bible the number 13 is unlucky as Judas was the thirteenth apostle at the last supper and he is the one that betrayed Christ.
In England, Friday was the day for public executions and there were thirteen steps to the gallows.
Black cats
If a black cat walks towards you it brings you good look, if it walks away from you it takes it away, if it crosses your path you should go back where you came from and walk the path again.
The Egyptian goddess Bast was a black cat. Christians trying to stop all other religions apart from their own stated that black cats were demons and that their owners were witches.
It is unlucky to pass a black cat after 9pm.
Clovers
Four leaf clovers protect against spells and tricks of fairies, witches and magicians.
Five leaf clovers are unlucky.
Walking under ladders
A ladder leaning against a wall forms a triangle. A triangle represents the holy trinity. By walking under a ladder you violate the holy trinity and this makes you as evil as the devil himself. The only way to counteract this is to cross your fingers whilst walking under the ladder as this scares away the devil.
Horseshoes
Horseshoes hung above a door bring good luck to the home.
Sneezing
If you sneeze you should put your hand to your mouth to stop your soul from escaping, and to stop the devil possessing your body someone should always say ‘Bless you’
Magpies
One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy,
Five for silver,
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret never to be told.
Frogs
If a frog enters your home you will have good luck.
Wishbones
Two people pulling the wish bone from a chicken or turkey should both make a wish, the one with the largest bone when it snaps will have there wish granted.
Birthday wish
You should make a wish when you blow out your candles. If you blow out all of the candles in one go your wish will come true. If you tell someone your wish it will not come true.
Picking up a penny
It is good look to pick up a penny if it has heads facing upwards; it is bad luck if tails is facing upwards.
Crows
One's bad,
Two's luck,
Three's health,
Four's wealth,
Five's sickness,
Six is death.
Breaking mirrors
If you break a mirror it will bring you seven years bad luck. If a mirror falls and breaks by itself someone within the house will die. The only way to get rid of the bad luck is to bury the pieces of the mirror in the moonlight.
The superstition about breaking mirrors is believed to have come from the Vikings. It was apparently bad luck to look over the side of the ship and see your reflection in the water. Water moves, so your reflection would become broken.
It is unlucky to be given a mirror as a gift.
Mistletoe
A girl cannot refuse a kiss under the mistletoe if requested.
It is good luck to receive mistletoe as a gift.
Spilling salt
It is unlucky to spill salt. If you do you should throw some over your left shoulder and into the eye of the devil.
Wishing upon a star
All wishes on shooting stars come true if the following is said before the wish:
Star light, Star bright,
First star I see tonight,
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.
Putting an umbrella up indoors
It is bad luck to put up an umbrella indoors and even more so if you put it over your head.
Weddings
Some months are luckier than others to get married:
Married when the year is new, he'll be loving, kind & true,
when February birds do mate, you wed nor dread your fate.
If you wed when March winds blow, joy and sorrow both you'll know.
Marry in April when you can, Joy for Maiden & for Man.
Marry in the month of May, and you'll surely rue the day.
Marry when June roses grow, over land and sea you'll go.
Those who in July do wed must labor for their daily bred.
Whoever wed in August be, many a change is sure to see
Marry in September's shrine, your living will be rich and fine.
If in October you do marry, love will come but riches tarry.
If you wed in bleak November, only joys will come, remember.
When December snows fall fast, marry and true love will last.
A bride should have each of the following to bring her luck:
Something old,
something new,
something borrowed,
something blue,
and a lucky sixpence
in her shoe
The bride could be carried over the threshold as it is lucky for her to enter through the front door but unlucky for her to trip or fall.
It is unlucky for the groom to see the bride in her dress before the wedding.
Fingers crossed
By crossing your fingers you make the sign of the cross, which will scare away evil sprits. You should also cross your fingers when you make a wish as it keeps the bad luck from stopping it from happening.
Passing on the stairs
It is unlucky to pass someone on the stairs.
Killing a Rain Beetle
It is said that if you kill a rain beetle, you will cause it to rain.
Killing a spider
It is unlucky to kill a spider as a spider makes a home. To kill one will bring misery the home in which it was killed.
If you know of anymore or have anything to add to the ones listed above please email me at angels04@fsmail.net
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