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What are your superstitions?

(92 Posts)
MesMopTop Wed 27-Sep-17 00:36:47

Not sure where to put this, so apologies if I've posted in the wrong place. I was just thinking about some of the little things I do that are just superstitions. I know the world won't stop turning if I break one. Would be interesting to know other people's. If someone asks me to pass the salt, I won't hand it to them but will place it on the table in front of them. I don't borrow or lend salt either.,no shoes on the table either. I never bought a pram until after baby was born and if I see a newborn baby I give silver coins to the parents. Get some odd looks there until I expldin myself. I never buy fish on a Monday and I always greet the magpies. Won't have peacock feathers or lilacs in the house. I open the doors and windows after the new year bells and I could go on and on... What are some of your little quirks?

Ginny42 Thu 28-Sep-17 07:02:03

How many streets and avenues have a number 13? Mine doesn't, and yet it would make perfect sense to have one as the houses are numbered in sequence here, 1,2,3, etc.

Planners/builders must believe they wouldn't sell because people are superstitious about number 13 being unlucky.

Luckygirl Thu 28-Sep-17 07:11:50

Blimey! - I thought I was bad greeting magpies! I now count myself as entirely sane! grin

MissAdventure Thu 28-Sep-17 07:29:11

Most care homes don't have a room number 13, or at least they never used to.

chicken Thu 28-Sep-17 08:24:19

We moved house on a Friday 13th and only paid half the usual removal costs! Another superstition, passed on by my mother,--"See a pin and pick it up and all the day you'll have good luck."

Blinko Thu 28-Sep-17 09:50:47

My Grandma was strict about never having red and white flowers in the same vase. She told me it was to remember the nurses in the battlefield during WW1. They had seen enough white bandages bathed in red and couldn't bear to see those colours together without terrible memories being brought back.

So even today, I never do put red and white flowers together.

Smithy Thu 28-Sep-17 10:05:27

I do all the things you all mention, again mainly due to a very superstitious mum.
And my (short) street doesn't have a number 13 either.
My daughter was once telling my late brother she kept seeing one magpie. He said he wouldn't pay any attention, as he kept seeing two and ''nothing good ever happens to me!'') said tongue in cheek.

giulia Thu 28-Sep-17 12:21:55

I don't walk under ladders (practical reasons), I do throw spilt salt over my left shoulder although I don't remember why. I DO touch wood but here in Italy it's iron. Am not sure about black cats as I remember them on Good Luck cards in England but here absolutely not! Bad things DO seem to happen in threes, and this is universal. However, here it's Friday 17th while in Greece am told it's Tuesday 13th. So maybe our Friday 13th is not to be feared. Here they say not to put a hat on a bed, nor to sit on a bed once it has been made.

Menopaws Thu 28-Sep-17 13:24:29

No none, can't be bothered

starlily106 Thu 28-Sep-17 23:41:13

I always pick up a penny i see on the ground for good luck.

grannyactivist Fri 29-Sep-17 00:10:11

My mother and siblings are all incredibly superstitious and it used to irritate the life out of me when I lived at home; the list of things to be done or avoided were legion. I'm happy to say I have no superstitions.

Lindylo Fri 29-Sep-17 10:35:40

Usually do the magpie thing but not really sure why.
My mother in law had a real thing about putting shoes on the table. She would go mad if anyone did it.

mywaldren Fri 29-Sep-17 12:02:05

I can identify with most of these superstitions but one I don't think has been mentioned is not to knit or sew on a Sunday. My mum was always strict on this.

missourisusan Wed 04-Oct-17 19:41:50

I've learned some new superstitions. If you don't mind, I'm from Reno Nevada US and here are a few from my Dad. Don't put a hat on your bed. Beware of white horses, they carry demons. If you make a wish or say you don't want something to happen-knock 3 times on wood. Of course, salt over left shoulder. Cut the end off a cucumber and rub it in circles against the rest of the cucumber before cutting it into pieces.
If any of you mind me posting please tell me. I don't want to put my nose into somewhere I'm not wanted.

MissAdventure Wed 04-Oct-17 19:43:58

You're more than welcome, Susan flowers it's nice to hear some slightly different superstitions.

watermeadow Thu 05-Oct-17 19:22:45

I am gobsmacked by this thread! op sounds exactly like my grandmother, 1887 - 1960, an uneducated country woman.
Even my mother laughed at these daft old beliefs, most of which were due to knowing nothing about why things happened so placating evil (just in case!) Everything unpleasant was caused by bad luck so cross your fingers and you'd come to no harm.
I trust in God to keep me safe, which of course many would say is superstition too!

Grandma2213 Fri 06-Oct-17 04:09:46

My (Irish) mother was very superstitious so I have heard of many of these superstitions before. I never salute magpies but must admit to looking for a second one, for 'joy'. For fun we (DGC) crack the top of a finished boiled egg, but to let the fairies, not witches out. When they were little they swore they saw the fairies flying to the light, usually the window.

I always say 'hello' to the moon when I see it. I don't know why. That just seems to have grown because of my interest in the extra terrestrial!

I will say 'Touch Wood' or 'Cross Fingers' but it is more a turn of phrase than a superstition. I will walk under ladders usually because it is safer than stepping into the street.

Oh and I was 13 on Friday the 13th so maybe that has some significance!!