The Origins of 13 Weird Superstitions

(Sept. 23) -- We're surrounded by superstitions every day -- don't walk under a ladder, don't step on a crack, avoid black cats -- but where do these beliefs come from and why do we follow them?

More importantly, are superstitions the real deal or just real silly?

British author Harry Oliver has just released in the U.S. "Black Cats & Four-Leaf Clovers" (Perigee), a book that explores the origins of superstitions and old wives' tales from around the world.

Black cats: Are they really unlucky?

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1. Don't Walk Under a Ladder

2. Black Cats Bring Bad Luck

Black cats are notoriously linked to witchcraft, which is why some people think they're unlucky.

3. Never Light Three Cigarettes With the Same Match

4. Carrots Are Good for Your Eyesight

5. Cross Your Fingers

6. Don't Open an Umbrella in The House

7. Always Have Something in the Oven

8. Wear Underwear Inside Out

9. Kiss a Mustachioed Man, End Up a Spinster

10. Don't Praise Babies in China

11. Don't Chew Gum at Night in Turkey

12. Lucky Four-Leaf Clovers

Unlucky 13

The number 13 -- and Friday the 13th -- are considered unfortunate in many places, and the reasons go back to the Bible. Remember, Jesus had 13 disciples until one of them -- Judas -- betrayed him.

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These are very interesting in that many of us have bought into some or all of them at time in our lives, not being a superstitious person doesn't mean that I didn't believe in some of what I would call folklore.

Seeing a black cat does still freak me out, sure there is nothing to it but don't want to take any chances, I have been known to cross the street to avoid black cats. Walking under a ladder is a practical thing in my opinion, it can be dangerous.

Now the Friday the 13th has alway creeped me out, through the years strange things have happened to me on Friday the 13th, best thing to do is stay home with the blinds closed.

Always have something in the oven and don't praise babies in China are two that I have never heard of, always having something in the over is not very practical.

Would love to hear about your superstitions and what you may or not believe about the above.

Aww I love my black cat, who is sitting on me while I type since I got him I've had better luck.. Superstitions are just that. Though I do wear a pentagram and have practiced some witchcraft... So in the eyes of the witch burners I'm a witch...

I love friday the 13th, and the 6/6/06. I do believe in curses... But thats because I have really really bad luck normally, all the women in my family do...

Originally posted by Xiamara
Aww I love my black cat, who is sitting on me while I type since I got him I've had better luck..

I love friday the 13th, and the 6/6/06. I do believe in curses... But thats because I have really really bad luck normally, all the women in my family do...

Actually I had a black cat when I was a kid and was not afriad of her, it was later when I developed a fear.
Sorry to hear you have had bad luck, hang in and be positive Xiamara.

Here is one from when I was a kid. "Drop a spoon, company soon." As a adult I found the idea of not giving someone a new wallet without money in it or they would forever have no money going into it. [ of course in my sarcastic family my last gift wallet was filled with play money, maybe that is why I'm broke ]

Originally posted by hangedman13
Here is one from when I was a kid. "Drop a spoon, company soon." As a adult I found the idea of not giving someone a new wallet without money in it or they would forever have no money going into it. [ of course in my sarcastic family my last gift wallet was filled with play money, maybe that is why I'm broke

]

Speaking of putting money in a wallet that you are giving as a gift, a few years ago my client alway wrote me a very generous check during the holidays, his daughters always brought me a gift, one year it was a beautiful wallet from Nieman Marcus, I set it aside while determining whether I would return it or not, a few weeks later I decided to take it back as didn't think I would use it, the sales clerk was looking through it to make sure everything was in order and found three one hundred dollars bills, lucky she was honest. Lesson here is if you receive a wallet make sure you check it out, I should have known as the years before they were very generous and I did wonder about the wallet, it wasn't cheap but not in line with what I had received in the past.

I have a tendency to avoid some of those that are listed,it could also be that if you believe it it will come true.I was in the store one day and my total came to $6.66 needless to say I grabbed the nearest candy bar to change the total,I also had a stray solid black cat came around my house and caused nothing but problems for my dog and cat,it scratched the lens on my dogs eye and caused multiple cysts on my cat not to mention multiple vet bills so yeah, I am a believer at least the cat one.My in-laws are latin and I know they have a whole list of other superstitions I don't know them off-hand but will have to call and ask them it varies country to country.It should be interesting to hear what some of the others are.

reply to post by TWILITE22


Wow, the same exact thing happened to me years ago, it was $6.66 and I don't remember what it was but I also grabed something to change the cost, seems silly I know but not to me.

reply to post by Aquarius1

I know I just got a really weird feeling and the cashier just looked at me waiting to see what I would do,mind you I don't go over the top about these things I just avoid them when possible!

The only thing that comes to my mind is that the most things you mentioned are ridiculous and very outdated.
If you gone through certain levels of spirituality you might see that...
But yeah i know we all have been conditioned by our environmental society and by media...
It is a hard way to lay them off but its possible...
But as a spiritual person myself i would want to add that there are indeed signs of achetypical nature and many synchronities going on...
I would assume that none of them you listed would fit into that category.

But as you have asked for the origin of friday the 13th as an unlucky day...
I dunno if its true and i think its hard to confirm, but i heard more than once that it is related to the templar and the day when they where killed. The pope (phillip IV) signed a secret paper at friday the 13th of 1307 know as the "black friday"...
This day was such a dark chapter for the church and the people it has branded something into the collective consciousness...
Thats what it is related to...
And even today some movies talk about it...

Peace, love and light,
let u guide by higher i

Jim

reply to post by TWILITE22


You don´t want to know how often that happens to me!
Not only 666 but other tripple or more numbers too...
And not only on bills, but everywhere....
But thats another story...

Really i think that if you have a watch for them, the signs are everywhere!
You should figure them out get to know what they mean. And follow them.
It always guides me very well...

Peace, love and light,
let u guide by higher i

Jim

reply to post by JimIrie


Know what you mean by triple numbers, there was a house my ex and I bought in the seventies and it closed on 777, I was talked into getting that house and the area, it was the beginning of the end of my marriage, even the day of closing was a nightmare as the closing company made a $1.00 error on the paper work and the sellers attorney went on and on for an hour about it, of course he wasn't a real estate attorney, just a friend of the family. That would not be the last time I went through nightmare closings as the next year I became a real estate associate and ultimately a broker for the next fourteen years.

Friday the thirteenth is two times a year I do not leave my house if I can avoid it. Two times in one year that day stung me bad and I refuse to risk it again. Always keeping something in the oven isn't really all that impractical, just leave a pan or other such thing in there when its not on, my Grandmothers used to do this. I dont walk under ladders because its just good advice it isn't safe to do that for you or the person on the ladder. Black Cats only bother me as much as orange, white, mottled, gray or any other cat does, I am a dog person

reply to post by Jovi1


Jovi1 I think we may be kindred spirits, I am with you 100%, once you have a bad experience why take any chances.

I am also a dog person.

Thanks for posting.

I get a total of 6.66 or 16.66 at the store quite often, i'm not superstitious about anything really, so it doesnt bother me, i just have a little laugh when it happens. The only thing i am superstitious of is odd number for some reason.


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Originally posted by Aquarius1



3. Never Light Three Cigarettes With the Same Match
.

Actually I believe that one comes from WW 2 because at night snipers could sight in on the three lighting up.

reply to post by gallopinghordes


This would make total sense. I didn't even think of it being three people lighting their cigarettes with one match I was thinking it was one person using the same match to light three separate cigarettes at one time. I was like um ok now just how would one do that?

reply to post by gallopinghordes


That is interesting and makes sense, now that you mention it I think I have heard it before. Thank you for posting.

Love your signature galloping horse, I am a horse person.

I will say Black cats are the best - my Bobo sits proudly by me, he's the keeper of the PC and all that's cool! Some people take superstitions very seriously. I worked for a newspaper in New Mexico at one time - a customer came in and paid for an ad - the total was $6.66 and I rang it up on the registar and thought nothing about it until the head of classifieds came storming to my desk telling me to never ever ring up $6.66 on the registar again - she was beside herself, ready to fire me on the spot. I told her I was sorry and she said you should have rang it up as $6.67 - the others in the office starting laughing and she left - mad, but she never said any thing about it again. BTW I heard if you drop a fork you will marry again - I've dropped a few forks, lol. Cool thread OP!

I will say Black cats are the best - my Bobo sits proudly by me, he's the keeper of the PC and all that's cool! Some people take superstitions very seriously. I worked for a newspaper in New Mexico at one time - a customer came in and paid for an ad - the total was $6.66 and I rang it up on the registar and thought nothing about it until the head of classifieds came storming to my desk telling me to never ever ring up $6.66 on the registar again - she was beside herself, ready to fire me on the spot. I told her I was sorry and she said you should have rang it up as $6.67 - the others in the office starting laughing and she left - mad, but she never said any thing about it again. BTW I heard if you drop a fork you will marry again - I've dropped a few forks, lol. Cool thread OP!

reply to post by crazydaisy


Thanks crazydaisy, you mention that your cat is the keeper of your PC, reminds me of a funny story, my friend in Brooklyn, N.Y. has a cat called Mr. Spock who is sixteen years old and he doesn't like it when my friend is on his PC, this cat has peed on his keyboard three or four times in the last couple of years and he has had to replace them, now I call that getting even.