Superstitions

If I see one magpie, I always have to greet it with, "good morning/afternoon/evening Mr. Magpie, how's your wife and children", so that he doesn't give me the bad luck associated with one magpie.
As in the rhyme, "one for sorrow", etc.

My friend does that also, Hilda.

I throw salt over my shoulder if I spill it. Quite happy to walk under ladders however. Nothing should happen....touch wood.

Definitely acknowledge magpies, never cross knife blades, always put a coin in a purse for a present.
Umpteen more from my mum but apart from magpies and throwing spilt salt over my left shoulder nothing else!

On New Years Eve, if I am in a house, I have to open the back door to let the old year out, and the front door to let the new one in.

Daddima Your Granny was not following a superstition she was just not working on the Lord's Day and keeping it as a day of rest.

I'd be talking all day to them if I started addressing the pesky magpies - in the summer there are always some in the garden.

We were brought up to scorn superstition and I think the only one that I really practise is "don't put shoes on the table" - which for plenty of other reasons is good sense.

I always leave my umbrella open indoors to dry it off (or it might go rusty)
I walk under ladders - especially if walking round them would mean wading through the water in the gutter or putting me in danger of getting hit by a passing car.
No cat crossing my path has ever brought me luck - they just make an unpleasant mess in the garden.
Throwing salt over your shoulder just means there's some salt to sweep up and you've wasted some salt.
Spitting at any time is quite repulsive.

Can't think of any more for the moment.

Ah yes - I wouldn't put red and white flowers together either! There - I do have a superstition I follow! There is no reason why one shouldn't have e.g. Gypsophelia with red roses.

My mother would never have put washing out on a Sunday but I think that was more to do with it being Sunday than a superstition. My only one is not putting shoes on the table , especially new ones. Also, oh yes realise there IS another one, I don't like climbing up 13 steps, so I repeat the last one to make it 14, hoping not too many people have noticed.

I was told about red and white flowers. Odd that they are so common as bridal bouquets.
DH talks to the magpies but he says "Good morning Major"

Do all of the above, also if I drop a knife pick it up by blade ( pick up plade pick up trade ,pick up handle pick up scandal) also never put shoes on table but not sure why about this one

To my shame -

Acknowledge a solitary magpie

Throw salt

No new shoes on table

I never do washing on a Sunday , don't do housework or shop on Sundays , because it's The Sabbeth

A few weeks ago I pulled up behind a friend queueing at the petrol station. I couldn't understand why she didn't drivel in to the first available bay, so sneaked in instead. She told me later that is was because it was pump 13! I would never notice the number, let alone refuse to use it! She is another who acknowledges magpies.

I never stir anything with a knife - "stir with a knife, stir up strife" . Never put new shoes on a table.

Umbrellas open indoors, ladders, 13, salt nor magpies bother me, but those first two ingrained from childhood.

I've overcome most of my mother's superstitions apart from those first two.

Oh dear - red and white flowers- blood and bandages - nursey one there.

Shoes on the table - dirty habit really.

Crossing on the stairs- don't know why just dangerous I suppose.

One to make the tea and one too pour it - give birth to ginger twins.

The last three are my mothers - yes she was batty!!

Knock on wood!

Mine's knock on wood too rosesarered.

Haha, I can't stop myself from doing it ( the knocking on wood for luck) but didn't know anyone else who still did it, so am pleased not to be alone in this.I know it's a pagan thing to do, but hey-ho.

I too knock on wood, touch wood, say hello to Mr Magpie, don't stir with a knife, I know that if I break a mirror I will have 7 years bad luck and if I bury the pieces of the mirror in my garden I will have kept the love of the person who last looked in it (will also cut my hands if I weed in the same area). I also know that itchy left palm means that I will have a large payment to make and right hand means I will get a sum of money.
'Left to give, right to recieve'. Many many others.
Etheltbags

Red and white flowers are OK if there are other colours in the same vase but not just red and white as that means blood and bandages.
My late DM would never have peacock feathers in the house.

How have I survived this long without knowing all these? What are peacock feathers supposed to do?

I'd forgotten about passing on the stairs. I'd never do it

As a nurse, I came across the red and white taboo, but it obviously didn't affect me too much as I had red and white carnations in my wedding bouquet! I mutter at single magpies, consider it unsafe to walk under propped up ladders, but don't really stick to anything else.
I ignore the dire warnings of my grandchildren not to step on the pavement cracks!

When I've knitted something for an expected baby I never sew in the last yarn end until the baby is born safe and well. When my grandchildren were born I had a lot of sewing in to do!