There is great depth in the range of strange superstitions from around the world. A superstition is defined as a widely held but unjustified belief in supernatural causation leading to certain consequences of an action or event, or a practice based on such belief. I’m sure you’ve heard of the more common ones – step on a crack and you’ll break your mother’s back, Friday the 13th is bad luck, don’t open an umbrella indoors, knock on wood. Most superstitions’ origins can be found in religion, but not all are – some are based on coincidence and routinely bad luck and there are even some that come with a very rational explanation. Having knowledge or belief in superstitions is linked to culture more than an actual belief in them.
As a superstitious person, I’ve heard of and learned about hundreds of superstitions over the years. Here is a list of 35 of the strangest ones you’ve probably never heard of.
- Ask an orange a question before you eat it, then count the seeds. Even number equals no, odd number equals yes.
- To get rid of guests overstaying their welcome, turn any broom in your house upside down with the bristles up.
- Throw rice in the air to encourage rain.
- Don’t place two mirrors opposite each other.
- Never stick your chopsticks straight up.
- Gifting anything with a blade can sever a relationship. To avoid this, give the person a coin in return.
- Don’t go directly home after a funeral, otherwise, a bad spirit may tag along and come inside.
- An itchy nose is a sign of an upcoming fight.
- Do not let the broom touch anyone’s foot while sweeping, or else they may be doomed to a lifetime alone.
- Never leave your bag or wallet on the ground or else you will never have any money.
- If you leave bread lying upside down, then the people who were meant to eat it will be cursed.
- Never sleep with makeup on your face, or demons may think you’re one of them.
- Whistling at night is bad luck and will let ghosts and bad spirits notice your presence.
- Never shake hands or kiss across a threshold, you’ll become enemies.
- An itchy left palm means you’ll be losing money while an itchy right hand means money will soon come in.
- Getting a stroller before the baby is born is bad luck.
- Bird poop on you is good luck.
- Cutting your nails after dark is considered bad luck.
- If you cheers with water, you’re actually wishing death upon the people you’re drinking with.
- It is believed to bring good luck if you drip or spill water behind a person.
- Expectant mothers who are craving fish but don’t eat it will end up having a baby with a fish-head.
- It is bad luck to walk backward.
- The best day to go to the hospital is Wednesday.
- Sitting at the corner of a table will bring bad luck in love.
- Walking into a room with your left foot will bring bad luck.
- Hold your breath when you pass a cemetery.
- Jumping over a child will curse them to be short forever.
- When a black cat cleans its face it means it is going to rain.
- Tuesdays are cursed days.
- When talking about an illness, never touch your own or someone else’s body.
- Never place your cutlery crossed on your plate or you will have many crosses to bear in your life.
- Accidentally spilling wine on a table is good luck. Wet your fingers with the spilled wine and dab it behind your ears.
- If the clasp of your necklace moves to the front, it means someone is thinking about you.
- Placing empty bottles on the ground is considered a good luck practice.
- It is considered unlucky to open and close scissors if you’re not actually cutting anything.
