Traditionally, a Chinese bride never looks in a mirror on her wedding day to ensure that there is only one bride.
In France it is lucky if you see a spider at night. In French, there is a rhyme for random spider encounters, so you know the proper etiquette: Araignée du matin, chagrin; araignée du soir, espoir--Morning spider, grief; evening spider, hope.
In Spain Friday the 13 is the unluckies day of the year.
In Chinese and Japanese, the word for the number four is very similar to the word for death (in Japanese, it sounds exactly the same) and so the number is considered bad luck.
One of the most popular good luck symbols in the U.S., Ireland, and many parts of Europe is the four-leaf clover, a variation of the more common three-leaf plant.
Red mushrooms with white dots are good luck: people from central Europe used to think that elves and pixies lived inside of them.
In Mexico, red-breasted birds are good luck.
If you walk under a ladder you shall receive bad luck.
Throughout Germany and Switzerland, chimney sweeps are signs of good luck.
In Holland, people believe that if your nose itches good news can be expected.
The blooming narcissus, whose flowers look like golden cups, is a sign of good luck in China.
Many animals have auspicious symbolism associated with them in Japanese culture: the crane is believed to live a thousand years.
In Russia it is good luck to have a horseshoe by your door. Horseshoes are also symbols of good luck and have specific traditions associated with them throughout the United States, parts of Europe, and among some groups of people in Syria.
www.transimage.com is where I got this information!
The Bible is often considered a book of numbers. In the Bible the numbers 7, 12 and 40 appear throughout the Old and New Testaments. The number 12 is considered a lucky number. As a result, the number which follows 12 was thought to be evil.
Known scientifically as "Tridecaphobia," fear of the number 13 is probably the most common of all superstitions. Buildings avoid numbering the 13th floor. Airplanes avoid the 13th aisle. And most common of all, Friday the 13th is considered a bad luck day.
Psychologists believe that Friday the 13th will become a day of bad luck if people focus on the day because people will create their own bad luck by paying attention to the superstition.
A black and white cat crossing your path means good luck.
A black cat crossing your path will cause you bad luck before your journey is over. If this occurs you can take 12 steps backwards to ward off the bad luck.
If a black cat walks toward you it brings good luck. If it walks away, bad luck.
A cat cleaning its face in front of the door is a sign of company.
A cat draws lightning.
A cat eating grass is a sign of bad luck.
In ancient Egypt the cat was considered sacred and to kill one was sacrilege. It is believed that the folklore surrounding the black cat began in the Middle Ages when it was associated with witches. It is likely that a black cat was the pet of some women accused of being a witch. Rumors began that the cat was able to change shape and help the witch cast spells. Since then, black cats have been associated with luck, both good and bad.
During Roman times it was believed that a sneeze might release one's soul to the world. It was a sign that you were having an internal struggle to hold onto your soul and offering you a blessing was a means of assistance. "God Bless you" was the manifestation of that assistance. By the time of the Black Death plague in 1348 AD sneezing became a sign of the infected. It meant the person was going to die so it became customary and law to bless the sneezer.
The bright red color of the ladybug probably gives it its lucky properties. It is likely that because this beetle is pleasant looking, as opposed to most insects, it quickly became associated with good rather than evil. Later additions include the superstition that the ladybug must be allowed to fly away on its own, and not be brushed off or you will be brushing off the good luck.
Salty Escapade
Salt was considered one of the most precious flavorings and preservative of antiquity. It was so important in Rome that the word salary pertains to salt because the Roman Empire paid soldiers with salt. From this we get the saying "He isn't worth his salt."
It was the primary means for storing meat since refrigeration had not been invented. In addition, because spices were rare and expensive, salt was the primary seasoning for all foods. To spill salt meant bad luck. The only means for escaping its bad fortune was to throw a pinch over one's left shoulder and into the face of the Devil, who was dancing at our left just waiting for our sinful natures to give up our soul. The salt would blind the devil until good fortune returned.
Wasn't that fun?
www.newageinteractive.com is the webpage where some of this information was found!
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