Superstitions XIII - Luck

Good Luck

Luck from a wishbone dates back to the Etruscans, who used chickens to predict the future. They believed the collarbone, or wishbone, of the chicken was sacred and would dry them in the sun to keep for luck. To share the luck they would break them apart. The person who gets the biggest piece gets the bigger share of the luck, or wish.

If you say “rabbit rabbit” on the first day of the month, it ensures good luck for the month. It’s a little unclear why this is a common belief in Britain and North America, but it’s also believed that a rabbit’s foot (the left hind foot) is also lucky.

Crossing your fingers to bring good dates back to early Christianity. Two people would cross index fingers, making a cross, when making a wish, the one in support of the other. Anything associated with the shape of the cross was considered lucky. In time crossing fingers for luck became something someone could do on their own.

While accidentally stepping in dog poop might seem like a bad thing, it’s only bad luck if you step with your right foot. If you step with your left foot it’s considered lucky.

Bird poop is also considered lucky, especially if it lands on you, your home, or your car. It signifies money will be coming your way.

In Spain, instead of kissing someone at midnight on New Year’s, you should eat twelve grapes one after another to bring good luck for the year.

Once upon a time, it was considered extremely lucky to get your hands on a piece of the bride. To keep the dress and veil in one piece, brides began throwing their bouquets in the air to distract the crazed guests. Today it’s believed that whoever catches the bridal bouquet will be lucky in love and the next one to marry.

A belief in beginner’s luck is an example of confirmation bias. This is a psychological condition where a person believes events that fit their world view. If they believe they are going to win because they’re a beginner, they’re more likely to remember all the times this was true in the past and forget the times they lost.

Bad Luck

Bad luck coming in threes is another example of confirmation bias. If something goes wrong, you begin to look for other bad things to happen and ignore the good.

Walking into a room with your left foot is bad luck – you should always enter or leave a room with your right.

You should never wish someone a happy birthday before the day arrives or it will cause bad luck.

Opening an umbrella indoors has been thought to bring bad luck since the time of the pharaohs. The parasols ancient Egyptians used were believed to be magic because they protected them from the sun. When one is opened indoors, out of the sun’s rays, it offends the sun god and incurs bad luck.

A flock of birds going from left to right means that bad luck is on the way.

The Greeks find Tuesday the most unlucky day of the week, but especially Tuesday the 13th. It was on Tuesday 13, 1204 that Constantinople fell to the Crusaders.

But they’re not the only ones who have a thing about Tuesday. Many countries in Latin America believe you shouldn’t get married, go on a trip, or leave your house on a Tuesday because you’re sure to have bad luck.

In Italy it’s considered bad luck to lay bread upside down on a table or in a basket. Bread represents the body of Christ and therefore needs to be treated with respect.

According to Welsh tradition, it is unlucky to cut a baby’s fingernails before they’re six months old. The mother should bite them off instead.

The Japanese believe that sleeping with your head to the north is bad luck because that's how the deceased are laid to rest. The same superstition exists in Africa for sleeping with your head to the west.

Better not take any chances and sleep with your head to the south or east tonight.

Pleasant dreams!