To ask what superstitions/wives tales do you follow or believe?

[Peanutbutterjelly1]

Mines magpies, 3 drains, no washing on new years day and having a peice of mistletoe hanging all year.

when i see an abulance i have to say 'touch my finger, touch my toe, in that van i will never go' - my grandma says it and it stuck (and i have only been in an abulance once and thankfully a false alarm!)

'good morning my lady or lord' to a solitary magpie (same grandma)

walking under ladders
salt
touch wood (will tap head if no wood available)
see a penny pick it up all day long you'll have good luck.

Frasier I'm ok with them - owls - being on tv as that's doesn't count (and I hadn't thought of that), so watching Harry Potter is ok, but I can't own anything with an owl picture or print on it. My mum finds this hysterical.

putupwithrain, thanks for that, not heard the witches and boats re egg Shells, but I could have changed it as I got older. Still do it now!

I cannot accept the salt seller from anybody. They must put it down and then I pick it up. Drives my DH potty. But was taught if you pass the salt you are passing on your worries. I've got enough of my own thanks, dont want more!

Saluting magpies
Spilled salt over the left shoulder to blind the Devil
Killing a spider brings rain
Bad luck to break a mirror
Put a coin in a new purse if you’re giving it as a present
House must be spotless for New Year or you’ll spend the whole year dirty!

Three drains, which can be hard with a buggy!
Magpies (hello mr magpie, how’s your wife today?)
Touch wood
I didn’t know about the cards upside down in purse one but when I put my DH card back in his wallet he was very insistent I check it was the right way up, and he’s not someone I ever thought would have superstitions!

Don't mix red and white flowers (blood and bandages)

Throw leftover salt over left shoulder
Never cross on the stairs
Saluting magpies
Opening umbrellas indoors (and inwardly FREAK OUT if I see anybody else doing it)
No putting shoes on the table
Never walk under ladders

I didn't consider myself superstitious at all until I read that list back 🤔

but if I see one I can't help but have a good crane round looking to up my magpie quota to at least two.

I'm generally unsuperstitious but find myself doing this as well

My DC has recently discovered how to open the kids' umbrella and plays with it all the time, so just as well that one doesn't bother me too much...

Salt over the shoulder.
No shoes on the table.
Touch wood.

I trained myself out of the magpie thing because saluting in the street made me look a twat. I always look for another if I see a lone one though.

Magpies, umbrellas indoors, that you can sell your worries for a penny (or buy someone else’s), salt, and feet up over railway lines (unless I’m driving!)

No stirring the tea in the pot (causes rows); greeting magpies; getting a coin in return if giving a gift with any kind of blade; avoiding walking under leaders.

No new shoes on the table. No umbrellas opened indoors. And one nobodies mentioned, no pram in the house before the babies born

Fletch, my mum told me this, I never do!
She also thought that lilac in the house was bad luck. I have a beautiful lilac tree which smells lovely, but I never have it inside.

I always put a coin in a wallet/purse if I'm giving it as a gift.

I'm going to have to hide this thread, I'm already spending too much time saluting magpies and throwing salt over my left shoulder

Salt over shoulder
Salute single magpie
Touch wood

I'd forgotten about not opening an umbrella indoors.

@Ski40 I do volunteer research on folk magic/superstitions/ritual protection type stuff. You'd be amazed how many rabbit holes I fall down on a regular basis I can even pronounce 'apotropaic' and EVERYTHING! It's this sort of thing

Wow very interesting link thank you! 😊

Oh god loads. Live abroad and I'm always knocking on wood and they look at me like I'm mad.

Black cats are lucky
Don't walk under ladders
Don't cross people on the stairs
Touching wood, all the sodding time
Karma
No umbrellas up inside the house
New shoes not on a table
Very bad luck to break a mirror
Make a wash if you say the same word at the same time as someone else
What goes around, comes around (karma really)

Make a wish, not a wash

Also magpies. Sinister little bastards.
Yes to salt.
I also try and live basically following the pagan /Wicca idea of the rule
Of the three-whatever you put out in the world, good or bad you eventually get back x 3...sounds a bit weird but it's helped me a lot with managing feelings of extreme dislike for example towards my exh... I hated him so much at one point that if that had come back to me x 3 I would have been in a real mess! Releasing that helped me to let it go a bit.

"Always crush eggshells otherwise a witch will go to sea in it and sink ships."

Not just me! My grandma always insisted and as her nephew was killed in WW2 on a ship, I humoured her. (Even though I know the ship was bombed and witches weren't involved!) I've even brought my kids up to do it.

My mother was superstitious - so we had to put a pinch of spilled salt over our shoulders, watch out for crossed knives, not pass on stairs, not put umbrellas up, not walk under ladders, if you put something on inside out it had to stay like that all day, not cut nails on Sundays, don't put new shoes (even boxed) on the table, etc.
My mother-in-law is superstitious - in fact she seems to collect them!

I just don't see the point of any of it. I don't walk under ladders if someone is up them but that's only because they might drop something on my head!

Fascinating thread & thanks for the link Rain

It sounds as though the magpie thing differs between us all, I've never saluted one but if I see a single magpie before midday (you don't have to do it after midday) you say good morning Mr Magpie how's your wife'. Saying it in your head is fine if you're not alone :) :)