Category: Superstitions

Old Customs

OLD CUSTOMS

The first water drawn from any well or stream on New Year’s morning used
to be called the Flower of the Well, or the Cream of the Well. This water would bring good luck in the new year.

In Mid-January (depending on the area) the apple trees were wassailed.
The word “Wassail” comes from the Anglo-Saxon “Wehal” which means “be of
good health”. Farmers and their families went to the orchards after dark, carrying horns and a large pail of cider. Cider was poured around the roots of a chosen tree, and a piece of toast or cake, soaked in cider, was placed in the branches. A wassailing song was sung to the tree.

Girls can discover their future husband on the Eve of St Agnes by scattering a handful of barley under an apple tree saying: “Barley, barley, I sow thee; That my true love I may see; Take thy rake and follow me.” It is said that the figure of her future husband will follow and take up the seed the girl has scattered.

The cuckoo is considered a lucky bird. Money should be turned in the pocket when the first cuckoo is heard, but never look at the ground while this is done.

Morris Dancers may be seen at Whitsuntide. The Dancers stamp, kick and
jump to waken the earth spirit and bring the crops out of the ground.

On Old Midsummer Day there is a procession in the Isle of Man to Tynwald
Hill. The Governor follows the Sword of State at the head of the procession. They process through lines of guards to a platform. Here the Governor sits on a crimson velvet chair. The Chief Justice reads a list of the Acts of Parliament passed at Westminster during the year. This ceremony shows that the Isle of Man accepts English Acts as law.

On 8 July, the Burry Man walks through the streets of South Queensferry,
West Lothian, Scotland. He is covered in thistle, teazle and burrs, with a head dress made of flowers. He covers his face, and carries a staff in each hand. He talks to no-one but is said to bring good luck to houses he visits.

On the Sunday after August 12th there is a “revel” in Markhamchurch, in Cornwall. The village children chose the “Queen of the Revel” who then leads a procession through the village, riding a white horse.

The Abbots Bromley Horn Dance takes place on the first Sunday after September 4th. This is probably one of the best known of all the “Dances” in the British Isles.

General Superstitions

General Superstitions

It is unlucky to wash a baby’s head for the first twelve months.

Washing a child’s hand’s before his first birthday will take away his riches and
would live and die poor.

Nails should be bitten, not cut, for the same time, for that would make them
thieves.

Hair at no age must be cut at the waning of the moon, that would prevent it
growing luxuriantly.

Hair cut off should always be burned; it unlucky to throw shorn hair away;
otherwise, birds might make a nest of your hair, weaving tightly, so that you
would have difficulty rising on your last day.

Children’s first lost teeth are burned in order to prevent snaggle teeth from
coming in.

Coral necklaces are worn to ensure easy teething.

Coral beads are said to change color indicating whether the wearer is ill or
well.

All locks in a house are unlocked at birthing to ensure an easy delivery.

Cornishmen of the west are born with tails; they drop off when the Tamar River
is crossed.

When a boy is born under the waning moon, the next birth will be a girl, and
vice versa.

When a child is born under a waxing moon, the next birth will be of the same
sex.

A child born at the interval between the old and new moons is fated to die
young.

Babies with blue veins across their noses will not live to see twenty-one.

SUPERSTITIONS & BELIEFS

SUPERSTITIONS & BELIEFS

Superstitious beliefs and customs are very much a part of Filipino culture. We
have a whole panoply of pamahiin ranging from beliefs in supernatural beings
(spirits, engkantos, witches, talismans, amulets); beliefs connected to
marriage, conception, birth, & child rearing; and beliefs linked to death &
afterlife. Many of these beliefs are considered ridiculous and silly but many
people believe it to be symbolic. For instance many of the beliefs that could be
categorized under human actions or activities are important to the lives of
people such as sleeping, eating & gift-giving. These actions feature highly in
the imagination of our people and much symbolism has been attached to them.

ACTIONS

If you bite your tongue accidentally, someone is talking about you or thinking
of you.

It is not good to take a bath right after eating for this will cause the stomach
to enlarge.

After bathing at night, do not sleep while your hair is wet for you will become
blind or insane.

If you dream that one of your teeth is being pulled, it means death to one
member of your family.

Have a new car blessed to avoid accidents & for greater car longevity.

Boiling egg while saying the Lord’s prayer assures a soft-boiled egg. (This is
because saying the Lord’s prayer takes about 15 sec thus assuring a soft-boiled
egg).

A broken mirror given by a beloved presages a broken engagement.

In building stairs, be sure to count the steps with oro (gold), plata (silver),
and mata (death). The last step must fall on oro or plata to insure good luck to
the house dwellers.

When building a house, the door and stairs must face the East where the sun
rises to insure good luck.

Children should not be allowed to play in the afternoon for they might bump into
unseen beings. (Of course this probably came about because parents just want
their children to take naps in the afternoon.)

When you bury dead animals under fruit trees, the fruits of these trees will be
sweet.

Buying anything on New Year’s Day results in extravagance throughout the whole year.

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MARRIAGE

Clearing the table while others are still eating will cause the diners not to
ever get married.

A mole on the forehead or nose means luck in business.

A lady singing while cooking will marry a widower.

A girl sitting at the head of the table becomes a spinster.

Stepping over a person while he/she is lying down removes the person’s chances
to marry. Another variation is it will cause the person not to grow. To reverse
the curse, the person who stepped over the person lying down must retrace his
step backwards.

If the younger sister or brother gets married before the older siblings, the
older siblings will never get married.

Getting married the day before a full moon brings prosperity to your marriage.

It is considered bad luck for siblings to marry within the same year.

During the wedding ceremony, the groom must be the first to arrive at the church
and wait for the bride, but not vice versa, otherwise it is a bad omen.

It is bad luck to see the bride in her wedding gown before the wedding.

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EVERYDAY SUPERSTITIONS

Putting money directly on the family dining room table is bad luck.

When there’s a spider or any other insects (except roaches…eeew!) don’t kill
it because it could be re-incarnations of past relatives and is present to watch
over you and/or your family.

When you give someone a pair of shoes as a gift, ask the recipient to give the
you money (penny, nickel, dime, quarters, or anything higher) so that they can
say that they bought it off you. If that person doesn’t give you money, he’ll
step all over you. You will be taken advantage.

When you’re driving and a black cat runs across your path, spit out the window
to avoid bad luck.

On New Year’s Eve, jump up when the clock strikes midnight so that you will
grow.

On New Year’s Day, you should wear or have something around you that is either
linear or circular so that you will have a prolonged life.

Don’t sit on tables in a business office. Bad luck will come over the business.

SUPERSTITIONS

A WORD ABOUT SUPERSTITIONS

I guess most of us are just a tad superstitious, at least to the point where we
don’t take unnecessary chances. You know, better safe than sorry.
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There are certain superstitions that I go along with, but breaking a mirror
brings seven years bad luck ain’t one of ’em. Heck, I know a man who broke one
and he didn’t have seven years bad luck at all. He was run over by a train and
killed the day after he broke it.

Here is a list of southern superstitions I’ve heard all my life. I’m sure you
will remember a number of them:

– If you sweep dirt out of the house on Friday, the house will burn down.

– Wash your hair in the first rain in May, and it will grow faster.

– Cross your eyes and jump over a ditch at midnight, and your eyes will stay
crossed forever.

– See a cardinal, make a wish, and pinch someone to make it come true.

– Make a wish on a redbird before it flies, and your wish will come true.

– Sleep with a mirror under your pillow, and you will see your future husband.

– When a man’s second toe is longer than his big toe, he will be henpecked.

– If a bride goes to the altar with some salt in her pocket, she will always be
happy.

– When fish jump above the water, look for rain.

– Run into a cobweb, and you’ll get a letter.

– If your palm itches, you are going to get some money.

– If your nose itches, it means you are going to have company.

– Carry in your pocket a button you’ve found, and it will bring you good luck.
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– Walking on the other side of a post from a friend will bring on a quarrel,
unless you say “bread and butter.”

– Snakes will not come around a place where gourds are growing.

– It will bring much bad luck if you sleep on new, unwashed sheets.

– To become beautiful, get behind a door and eat a chicken foot.

– A woman who drops her apron will lose a friend.

– If your left foot itches, you will walk where you’re not welcome.

– Look under a bed, and you’ll never marry.

– It’s bad luck to lean a broom against a bed.

– If someone sweeps under your feet, you’ll never marry.

– If your initials spell a word, you will become rich.

– If your shoestring becomes untied, someone is talking about you.

– Shaking hands over a fence will bring bad luck.

– Those whose teeth grow wide apart will be travelers.

– Always step into a courtroom on your right foot when you have business there.

– A woman with short fingers makes a good manager.

– If you sneeze before breakfast, you’ll see your sweetheart before Saturday
night.

– If you can see the sunshine through a man’s ears, he’s a rascal and can’t be
trusted.

– Whistle in bed and you’ll cry before the next night.

– You can be sure of rough weather if the grape or pecan crop is heavy.

– It’s bad luck to climb over anybody in bed.

– It causes bad luck if you bring an old broom into a new house.

– It’s bad luck to take up ashes from the fireplace during the Christmas season.

– If a fly flies around your face continually, a stranger hopes to meet you.

– Cut your fingernails before breakfast on Monday morning, and you’ll get a
present before the week is over.

– Forget to wash a skillet and you can expect a guest for the next meal.

– When hornets nests are low, it will be a cold winter.

– The first thunder of spring wakes up the snakes and tells you that winter is
gone.

– It’s good luck for a butterfly to light on your shoulder.

– A wish made in a bed that’s never been slept in will come true.

– You can utter any untruth your heart desires as long as your fingers are
crossed.