Superstitions True or False

My mother was very superstitious new shoes on the table, open umbrellas indoors, Friday 13th...................
I do not walk under ladders without checking that there is no-one up the top to drop something on me!

Rufus I am sure horses officially become 1 year older on 1st January.
GrannyGravy13: Would you believe? Were both right!
Jan 1st. for the Northern hemisphere (which is where you are, I guess) and Aug 1st. for the Southern Hemisphere.
Well, they say you learn something new everyday and I don't know about you, but that's sorted out a
bit of the mystery of my life, although I don't "follow the horses" now.
I used to when I was a kid ( my memory is at full stretch here!) when Dad would send me out into the street with a bucket after"Ernie" had been. We had smashing rhubarb then.
OoRoo

I am afraid I avoid walking under ladders, throw salt over my shoulder and greet solitary magpies etc etc? I am not taking any chances as Lady Luck has not been my friend in life ?

I suppose I am superstitious, I got it all from my mum. Although like others on here, we have family wedding anniverseries and birthdays on 13th. In a cupboard drawer, I still have, wrapped in a brown paper bag, the piece of coal and bit of salt that mum gave me when we moved into our first home together in 1961. Now that's precious.

Well, I guess I'm just not a Romantic, then!
Scribbles; you must be! Your profile shows you have an interest in "steam railways" and heritage railway enthusiasts must all be Romantics, so it follows that you must be by definition, or at least a pseudo- Romantic.
I am very romantic, in railway terms! "Steam" never got into my blood, but I had 2 uncles as engine drivers, one GWR and the other LMS Now my sister's daughter is a driver with South Western ( or is it Southern;; never quite sure) working out of Guildford and one Grandson has just started with Queensland Rail.
I'm only an armchair driver! Stacks of DVDs taken from the driver's cabin all over the British Isles. Fascinating and full of memories. Now I'm on the verge of tears again and way off topic.
I'll have to start a "Railways I have Known" thread!
Ta-Ra

WTF!
Old Meg; Thanks for that, but I can't recall that as a superstition. Are you sure you haven't typed that back-to-front because I can only think of the "W" standing for"Witch"? ( Apologies to Black Adder".) Perhaps you didn't take enough time composing your message.
My Gran. used to say "if you've got nothing to say don't say it". Very profound if you think about it!
Also applies to "rubbish."
But I guess that manners, like nostalgia, ain't what they used to be!
OoRoo

Bluegal - I'm with you! I am not superstitious - but sometimes consciously use ideas of loving protection, when I've been in frightening situations. Some years ago I had to walk on my own, in the dark, through unfamiliar unlit streets in the East End of London, in a downpour of rain, to get to my hotel. I imagined an angel with a large umbrella flying over my head all the way, and felt confident and happy - though very wet!

Rufus, as for steam engines........ the only steam engine our youngest 3 C have been in was Puffing Billy, just outside Melbourne I think the mountain range was the Dandingnons (not sure of spelling, to hot to think in Parts of UK already 26degrees at 10.00am).

They absolutely loved it, so much so it was the first thing they wanted to do when we landed after an eleven year gap!!

I'm a non-believer in religion any religion, however, I have great faith in myself and do not cross fingers or have any other rituals to ward off unpleasant experiences. I have been heard to utter 'Oh, fgs' in exasperation but it has no affiliation to religion.
My views on religion are too controversial to be put down here, suffice to say, each to his own.

Rufus2
I must look keenly at the driver's cabin next time I ride SW trains. Guildford is my area.

Oops! I didn't look at the header which mentioned superstitions. Thought religion (believer)
That'll teach me to look twice.

I always acknowledge magpies with a good morning or afternoon greeting .
My mum told me pearls are for tears. Lost my son 11 years ago and I didn’t have any pearls.
One just never knows.

All I believe in is Karma, do good to others and good will be done to you and I don't believe in any religion or superstitions .

Isn't avoiding ladders just good sense? (I had a neighbour who was seriously injured by a fall of building debris close to a ladder in a city centre.) I do "touch wood", but keep none of the other "superstitions". Perhaps because I forget them!

I say "Good Morning Sergeant" to magpies - funny how they seem to have different ranks!

When I visit family in the Isle of Man everyone - including me - says "Good Morning Fairies" as we pass over the Fairy Bridge. You can lipread the occupants of other vehicles all saying it!

Blue and green should never be seen except on an Irish Queen.

If knives accidentally become crossed whilst setting
the table, uncross them and spit over your shoulder. (WARNING, never stand behind the person setting the table.)

What about the Big Superstition, religion?

By ‘believe’ do you mean in God? Sorry to ask but I think we use different terminology for some things and just want to be sure. If someone asked me if I believe I’d have to ask for clarification, so forgive me if I’m the only one ?

Me too! Just read this and now realise it means believe in superstitions

I read somewhere that when you saw a single magpie that as well as greeting it, you had to turn widdershins three times and spit!
That could well take up a lot of time....
I usually say 'one for sorrow' and look around for a second one so I can say 'two for joy' I presume this is because you do see lots of pairs of magpies and if there's only one, something must have happened to the second

Saw a single magpie on way to hospital for birth of DD. Made DH stop the car to wait until we saw another one, that is until the contractions became too strong and then it was “Go, go go!” Now I say ‘Mrs Magpie wants you”, as apparently it is the male magpie who is always up to mischief but he is also very henpecked by his wife and will rush away to find her. I know, I am sad!
Ps. Everything went fine with the birth and my DD has grown up to be a lovely person.

Also, I believe a black cat crossing your path in UK is lucky, but in Europe it is thought unlucky.

We have loads of magpie here who like to annoy me by appearing one at a time. I then have to discreetly salute it, ridiculous habit!

I must look keenly at the driver's cabin next time I ride SW trains. Guildford is my area
Gabriella; Your driver will be called Sally! I haven't seen her since she was a little girl and she would be "middle aged" by now. Dear oh dear! I've suddenly aged even further!
Talking of superstitions, or maybe it's suspicions this time, but she has tales to tell of passengers, mainly fellas, who spot her in the driver's seat and then don't get on board! She can see it all in her mirrors! Presumably they're the ones who don't trust "women drivers"
Now that we seem to have wandered into religion, briefly I hope, I lay claim to a brick that helps to keep Guildford Cathedral upright (in the physical sense!) that our family bought way, way back during the building appeal fund. I think it might have set us back a few quid; wonder how much it's worth now?
Dad worked for Dennis Bros. before retiring to Barnstaple; it's nice to recall we own part of Guildford! Thanks for the memory.
OoRoo

I always salute a Magpie & wish him/her Good Morning. Touch wood, dislike Friday 13th, hate opening a brolly indoors (have to sometimes to dry them), new shoes on the table, salt over my left shoulder if I spill any. Superstitious Moi. What comes around goes around/Karma, I definitely believe in