By Blogger Renée

 

As some of you samhainophobics may know, it is almost the dreaded day of your fears, Halloween. And how else should we honor this glorious day but with a glorious top 13 list! So here we are now to dive into the world of superstitions.

1. If a black butterfly or moth lands on you (sometimes more specifically on your left shoulder), you will die in less than a year.
2. During the New Year, wear red underwear for good luck and put new shiny coins with the heads side up on the windowsill.
3. Trimming nails at night will bring you bad luck or in some cultures premature death.  
4. Complimenting a newborn baby will bring it bad luck; this is believed in several cultures.
5. Never, ever, put shoes on a bed; this will bring death.
6. Don’t sleep or go outside if it’s cold with wet hair; this will bring you a deathly pneumonia.
7. To bring in good luck for the New Year, eat twelve grapes (one for each month) and make wishes on each of them; you must eat them in the first two minutes of the New Year.
8. The numbers four, six, thirteen, fourteen, seventeen and six hundred sixty six are bad luck and can even signal death or the devil.
9. Black cats bring bad luck. There are multiple superstitions about black cats being bad luck: if they lead you under a ladder, cross your path, put their back to you, look at you in the eyes, they will bring you terrible luck or death.
10. Never wash a baby’s clothes at night. Bad spirits or the devil will come if you wash baby clothes or hang them out to dry at night.  
11. Whistling indoors brings the devil and general bad luck. Or death.
12. You should tuck your thumbs into your fists when passing a cemetery to protect your parents.
13. Don’t post a blog post about superstitions on Friday the 13th or 13 terrible things may happen…*

*Originally prepared on Friday the 13th.

 

Editor: Claire Jenkins