Avoid wearing red during thunderstorms, don’t walk backwards, and say “white rabbit” on the first day of the month… These superstitions are surprisingly common around the world.
If you are in India during a solar eclipse, you should stay indoors. The locals believe that sunlight during this time is harmful.
In many places from Turkey to India, cutting nails at night is considered to bring bad luck.
Don’t wear red during thunderstorms. In the Philippines, where thunderstorms are frequent, people believe that the color red attracts lightning.
In Rwanda, there’s a legend that women who eat goat meat will grow beards or become more stubborn. However, local women believe this was made up by greedy men to get more meat for themselves.
Don’t be surprised if you see someone splashing water on the ground behind you in Serbia. Water symbolizes prosperity and brings good luck.
In Japan, accidentally breaking a bottle is thought to bring good luck. However, deliberately breaking one is seen as foolish.
If you hear someone mumbling “rabbit, rabbit” or “white rabbit” on the first day of the month, that person might be British or American, where it is believed that this brings a prosperous month.
The people of Denmark believe you should not share secrets with cats, as they are known to gossip a lot.
Never mention the name of former Prime Minister Carlos Menem in Argentina. His term was so disastrous that people believe simply mentioning his name will bring bad luck.
In Cuba, people believe that saying this is your last drink challenges fate and could lead to an early death.
The concept of the evil eye exists in many cultures and beliefs around the world. In Bolivia, one way to counteract its effects is to rub an egg on the affected person, break it into a glass of water, and place it under their bed.
Never kiss a Nigerian child on the lips. It is believed this will cause the child to drool as they grow up.
In South Korea, people believe that turning on a fan in a closed room can lead to death.
You should avoid empty buckets when in Russia. Don’t touch them or come close to someone holding an empty bucket if you don’t want to have a bad day.
Walking backwards is considered to bring bad luck in Italy and Portugal. It is said that walking backwards will guide demons to you and cause you distress.
Don’t toast with water: In some parts of Germany, it is believed that if you toast someone with a glass of water, it means you wish that person dead. This strange superstition originates from Greek mythology, where the souls of the dead would drink from the River Lethe, one of the rivers in the underworld.
Knock on wood to avoid bad luck: This superstition comes from the belief among Pagans (a group of people descended from the Roman Empire following polytheistic beliefs) that evil spirits reside in wood. Therefore, it is believed that if you wish for something, you should touch or knock on wood to prevent evil spirits from hearing and thwarting your desires.
Avoid sitting at the corner of a table: Hungarians and Russians believe that anyone sitting at the corner of a table will never get married. Some say this bad luck only lasts for seven years, but no one has provided a clear explanation.
Putting Wallet on the Ground: Avoiding placing a wallet on the ground is a peculiar custom that persists in many Central American, South American countries, and the Philippines. Many people believe that putting money or a wallet on the ground will lead to financial misfortune.
Knitting Outdoors: If you move to Iceland, make sure to knit indoors rather than outside. Locals believe that knitting at the front door will cause the weather to remain perpetually icy.
Fear of Tuesday the 13th: Not only do people avoid Friday the 13th, but in Spain and some Spanish-speaking countries, there is a significant fear of Tuesday the 13th. The word “Tuesday” in Spanish is “Martes,” derived from Mars, the Roman god of war. Additionally, Constantinople (once the capital of the Roman Empire) is believed to have fallen and been destroyed on a Tuesday during the Fourth Crusade. More than 200 years later, history records that the Ottoman Empire also declared its occupation of the city on a Tuesday.
Cutting Nails at Night: In Turkey, India, and South Korea, it is believed that cutting fingernails or toenails at night is bad luck. In Japan, it is thought that doing so could lead to an early death. Historically, nails were cut using sharp knives or tools, and injuries from nail cutting in the dark, combined with a lack of medical assistance, may have led to infections or fatalities, resulting in this superstition.
Placing Shoes on the Table: In the UK, putting shoes on a table is considered unlucky as it symbolizes the death of a loved one. This belief originates from an ancient tradition where placing someone’s shoes on the table was a way to announce that someone in their family had just passed away. Today, although it no longer carries such a heavy connotation, putting shoes on the table is still viewed as unacceptable in social etiquette.
