To ask if you are superstitious?

[ObelixtheGaul]

My mother spoke to me the other day about daring to take a few secs down before twelfth night last year for the first time. She's in her 70s and has always treated the twelfth night as some sort of hard law that must not be broken despite the fact that she is one of those people who would much prefer they came down sooner. She was horrified one New Year's day when I said I would be over after I put a wash on. Apparently it's bad luck to do a wash on NYD.

My Grandmother had a thing about 13 at the dinner table (we are quite a big family, so at Christmas this was more than likely). She would have to put a teddy in a chair with a place laid to make a 14th setting. My husband told me his grandmother always had to throw salt over her shoulder. These are/were all sensible, no nonsense women in general.

What superstitions do you have?

Decs, not secs. I shouldn't have been so lazy as to not type, 'decorations', should I?

My superstitions come from my grandmother and I'm not sure if they're pure superstition or folklore interpretations of actual Orthodox religious practice (she came from an island/peasant culture):

• NEVER touch bread in the morning without first washing your hands and praying
• ALWAYS bolt windows at this time of year against the vrykolakas (sort of a vampire)
• ALWAYS wear something new on New Years day

I keep these up as a way of keeping up familial/folklore traditions.

In addition to these I also hail single magpies. That's about it! Phew!

Luckily, fingers crossed, I don't suffer from superstitiousness.

(Touch wood, just in case)

I love the one about the sort of vampires. Superstitions are a fascinating insight into different cultures and beliefs.

They're undead but they're cannibals not blood drinkers. And they're definitely not the sexy sensuous beauties of Stoker or Anne Rice. But they ARE very dangerous!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vrykolakas

@GiveMeSpanakopita thank you, that's very interesting.

I always salute magpies too, and greet them ‘Good Morning Mr Magpie, and how are your wife and children today?’
And I touch wood, say ‘White Rabbit’ on the first of the month.
I love superstitions, they make me feel in touch with the past and our ancestors I suppose.

When I was at school we used to say, 'pinch, punch, first of the month, white rabbit'. I had forgotten about it until reading your post.

Yes. At the weekend I was googling what to do if you (teen) breaks a mirror. Turns our you have to turn anticlockwise 3 times to keep the bad spirits away.
My children think I'm mental for saluting magpies and throwing salt over my shoulder. This is what happens when your parents use Grandma as childcare in the 80's 😁.

So many - I was brought up by my grandma after my mum died when I was four. She was full of superstitions which she passed on to me - don't cross on the stairs, salutes magpies, throw salt over your left shoulder if you spill it, don't wear new clothes on a Friday, don't cut your nails or hair on a Friday, it's bad luck to see the new moon for the first time through glass (look at it three times over your left shoulder to ward off evil if you do). I'm sure there's loads more. Regrettably I've passed them on to my daughter.

Oh I hold up my hand and say "Magpie, magpie, where is your mate?" to ward off harm.

I agree with the importance of superstitions as keeping up ancestral traditions. Science protects our bodies, tradition warms our souls. There's been a real resurgence recently of books about British folklore which I love.

True. The replies here show these are passed down through generations, often forming part of our warmest memories of our loved ones.