Superstitions

I understood that if you put shoes on the table you wouldn't get married.

Never cut toe or finger nails on a Sunday but this could be a Sabbath reason I guess.

I never point at a rainbow for fear of bad luck or look at a full moon through glass but not sure why that is!

If you give a gift of anything that has a knife in it (i.e. cutlery set etc.) always insist on a penny given back in exchange so that...'the friendship isn't cut'.

On no account would I bring peacock feathers indoors.

I'm pleased to hear that there are so many other folk out there who have these 'strange' ways!

Long may we thrive...fingers crossed!

Never cut your finger or toe nails on a Sunday or you will have bad luck. I remember discussing this superstition with my auntie who confessed that she didn't risk doing it on a Friday either..

If the person gives you a shiny coin in exchange it's OK, because they have 'bought' it from you

Never give a blade as a present - the ties of friendship will be cut.

I'm surprised anyone believes these superstitions now. My grandmother did but she was born in 1890. My mother (born 1919) certainly didn't.
"Rain before 7, sun before 11" isn't a superstition, early rain is usually a front which has passed a few hours later.

Indinana. I well remember that dropped glove thing and not saying thank you. I don't embrace most of these old superstitions myself. The new moon used to make me laugh and the turning a coin. I marvelled at it the other night just for its beauty. I was pointing it out to my 3 yr old grandson and he sang a little song about it. I couldn't work out the words but thought it was so sweet. Sorry, I digress.

My mother believed in all the superstitions mentioned as well as not sewing on a Sunday, crossed knives meant a quarrel and the wearing of green. Never wore green until I was grown up.

My mum loved all the old superstitions. Here's some of hers:

It's unlucky to look at the back of a hay cart or lorry. Very difficult if you find yourself driving along behind one though

Don't put new shoes on the table

If you drop a glove someone else should pick it up for you - and you mustn't say thank you to them

Lucky at cards, unlucky in love (and vice versa)

Rain before 07.00 cease before 11.00

Change the name but not the letter, change for worse and not for better. (Which means, if a woman marries a man whose surname starts with the same letter as hers, it will go badly for her!)

There were many more as already mentioned - crossed knives; opening an umbrella indoors; looking at a new moon through glass; passing on the stairs. And doubtless many more I can't remember!

One I learnt from my old landlady: never mend a garment while you are still wearing it - sewing sorrow to your soul.

Always disappointed to first see the new moon through glass. Only last week I was pleased that saw it as I was leaving a friend's house and pointed it out to her too!
When I see magpies I always go through the One for Sorrow, Two for Joy rhyme to remember what they portend.
Don't like to see shoes on a table, any, not just new ones!
Occasionally touch wood.
Like to take down Christmas decorations by 6th January.
Would never bring may (hawthorn blossom) indoors.

So I'm far more superstitious than I thought I was. Most of these are from my granny who came from a farming community on the Welsh/ Borders.

Red & white flowers in the same vase meant a death on the ward! My next door neighbour & I both trained in the 60s & always put a daff or a cornflower in a bouquet!
PS l don't believe any of it!

New shoes on the table was always related to death,the laying out of a body in the house!

Don't grans have enough on their plates besides enslaving themselves to the superstitions of our peasant ancestors? We've got self-determination now, so do yourselves a favour and give up these ridiculous rituals. No offence intended.

Peacock feathers in the house are supposed to be bad luck JackieB

Jackyb The 'eye' in the peacock feather allows evil spirits to see into our world. Allegedly.

I looked at the new moon through glass last night, so I had to then go outside with some money, spit on it and turn it over in the palm of my hand

Spilt salt, magpies, red and white flowers, iron any diamond shapes out of bedsheets, don't stir with a knife, don't wash on New Year's Day,
oh how I wish friends and family had never told me any of those things.

What about looking at the new moon through glass ? And then there's killing spiders!

All my life I've tried to ovoid looking at a new moon through glass. It's supposed to be very unlucky.

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!

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!

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

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

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.

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

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.