Family Lore

[GwinCoch]

This thread is inspired by @Applebyapples - hope that’s OK! When you posted that your grandmother is horrified by pegs left on a washing line and calls it slovenly, it recalled mind a couple of bits of ‘family lore’ from my own elders and thought it might be interesting to see if there was any resonance with others here.

Nana J: Females shouldn’t drink pints, it’s unladylike.
Nana B: Central heating is unnatural. As is having a bath more than once a week.

Both ladies are deceased and have been for some time, but I remember growing up with these weird sentences bumping about in my brain. Do you have any weird lore? Guess it’s kind of ‘old wives tales’ territory?

@HRTQueen and @7Worfs
Is the no mixing fish and milk from the Jewish tradition of not mixing milk and meat? For kosher reasons

My Gran used to say you shouldn't wash your hair when you're on your period.

Oh yes forgot the magpie stuff. They are gorgeous creatures but I used to be so scared of them because one of my Nanas said you had to say: “Good morning Mr Magpie, how are your wife and children?” And then we had to do a salute!

A bath for everything.

Bad back, flu, Ebola……

Don't bring hawthorne flowers in the house.

This one is centuries old. The flowers apparently smell like the Plague did, which is why its considered bad luck to bring them indoors!

So funny my Nana thought that baths were the root of all evil and restricted them to once a week. Polar opposites in some areas, wonder if it’s country or county wide?

My mother said not to bring lilac flowers into the house.

If you spill salt you must throw a pinch of it over your left shoulder [something about deterring the devil sitting there!]
Don't wash [laundry] on New Years Day as you'll surely wash out a life so to be sure a family member will die before the year is out.
You must cross yourself if you see a hearse, ditto a single magpie.
If your right palm itches you're due some unexpected money , the left palm itching means you'll have to pay something out.
Yeah, batshit family here too.....

Lilies in the house only when someone has died.... they're a symbol of mourning according to my mum.

Waving at a single magpie for luck. You also have to say 'Good morning Mr Magpie, how's your wife and children?'

Do a sign of the cross when an ambulance with siren on passes you, you are blessing g the person inside.

In our family a silver coin has to be put in a new purse, bag or anything with pockets in whilst saying, “health to wear it, strength to tear it and money to buy some more”. It’s the one, of MANY superstitions in our family, that I still do as it’s a nice sentiment. All the others are just too exhausting 😂.

Lilac was used to cover up the scent of “over ripe “ bodies in the days when it was usual to keep the deceased at home prior to burial. Hence they are the scent of death.

Hawthorn has strong associations with the fairy folk and they don’t like humans to cut the flowers. Same with the colour green, my grandmother was so upset when she heard I was having green bridesmaid dresses that I changed them to blue to stop her worrying

Putting a knife under the bed of a sick person will "cut" their pain.

Any illness known to man can be cured by gargling salt water.

My grandmother was obsessed with people getting ‘cold kidneys’ from not wearing a long enough jacket. I always remember her fussing about my clothing and muttering about cold kidneys. I’m not sure I’ve ever had cold kidneys though and even if I did I’m sure I’d survive the experience!

Never wear white after labour day - sept 1st (white can worn again in the spring)

On the birth of a new baby always gift money (baby given a dollar coin to hold) it brings prosperity

Never walk under a ladder

White onions and mustard in a poultice for the soles of your feet to draw out a chest infection. Or back/chest if very ill

Drink Flat gingerale for a fever

Never open a window or door at midnight. If you must always before or after but never close to the hour.

If driving over railway tracks always raise your feet off the floor and make a wish

If you get sudden ear ache someone is speaking ill of you, likewise if you have the hairs raise on the nape of your neck someone has walked over your grave.

If the leaves on a maple tree show their backs (turn upwards) it will rain before the evening

Same with - dry grass at morning light, means rain before the night

A year of snow, and crops will grow

My nana was born for a different century clearly

A coin for the baby was still a thing in Scotland when ds1 was tiny. I'd go out and be stopped by strangers who'd admire him and then put a coin in his hand.

Sometimes I'd come home n the bus and later on find a coin in the pram mattress.

Mumsnetters would have conniptions but I thought it was rather lovely (and got his money box off to a start!).

We used to go for Sunday lunches with my Grandad at a private members' club he belonged to, and he was point blank refused to buy me a pint of diet coke or even orange squash to go with my meal. Had to be ½ pint because it was unladylike.

And I can't remember how we found this one out. There were a couple of incidents of him ordering me the wrong menu choice in advance "by accident". And we found out after he'd passed away that it was done on purpose, and only on the occasions I'd ordered Steak & Ale Pie. He didn't think it right that ladies should go anywhere near beer!! And there was me thinking he was just getting confused in his old age! Bless him trying to protect my honour 🤣

Don’t get you feet swept by a broom (if you do, no one will marry you).

I just need to know which bastard swept my feet when I wasn't looking!!

•Don't eat on the street - it's common.
•Chewing gum is also common. •Don't mix red and white without using a third colour. Red and white = blood and bandages
• eating cheese before you go to bed will give you galloping horses (nightmares)

Some of my Nan's...

Females shouldn't drink out of cans of pop in public.

Females shouldn't wear long skirts, they look too old fashioned.

Everyone should gardle (yes!) with salt water every morning. People not doing so is how covid became a thing. (But they shouldn't spit it outside afterwards incase the birds drink it and get ill)

It's bad luck for the brother if the sister washes her hair on a Tuesday.

Oh yes "blood and bandages" I'd completely forgotten that. I wanted red and cream in my wedding bouquet and my nan's lips completely vanished in disapproval. I had to add a 3rd colour.

New shoes mustn't go on the table. It's bad luck, something to do with being hanged. And shoes which have been worn shouldn't go on the table because it's unhygienic.

Always give a coin if someone gives you a knife, else it will sever the friendship. And new purses should always be given with a coin in.

You have to crush empty eggshells, else the witches will sail to sea in them and sink the sailors.

A pinch and a punch for the first of the month.

No red and white only flowers - blood and bandages (I think that's from WW1.) Lilies are funeral flowers, so shouldn't be used at weddings.

You shouldn't use real peacock tail feathers as decorations in the house because it's the evil eye.

Don't walk under ladders (I've paid more attention to this since I was 13 and a scaffolding joint narrowly missed me as it fell.)

My mother was very disapproving of bare shoulders in church, especially on brides. Disrespectful.

There are probably loads of others I've forgotten.

Women as a whistling women and a crowing hen would bring the devil out of his den.
Mirrors should be covered during a thunderstorm
No smoking nor eating in the street
Don't wear red and green together
All according to my grandmother

the not mixing fish and milk thing I always thought it was an Indian subcontinent superstition. Apparently it causes vitiligo (or even leprosy for the very enthusiastic superstitious folk).

we had a lovely neighbour when my dc were younger who’d always press a coin in my DC’s hand when he saw us. He was really sweet.

No eating in the streets it’s common.

I think the "no shoes on the table" has something to do with laying a dead person out to prepare them for burial?

I was brought up with so many rules about acceptable female behaviour: "A lady never does x, y or z" such as wearing white shoes between September and May, or eating in the street, or laughing loudly or showing emotion in public, such as crying or rage. Also crossing your legs at the knee when seated, only black or white gloves are acceptable, bare legs in public are unacceptable, never chew gum, never touch your hair in public...

And then the superstitious: Never seat 13 at a table, sitting in a wet swimsuit will give you cold kidneys, carnations are unlucky, spilling salt is unlucky, wearing black or green to a wedding is unlucky, always have an uneven number of roses in a vase.