beach chick Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 I've always done toenails on a Sunday night - part of the getting ready for the week ahead thing! 13 at dinner - at the Savoy Hotel they have (had?) a big model black cat which would have a place at the table if they had a party of 13, thus making it up to 14... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaireG Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 I do the magpie thing, don't walk under ladders, no new shoes allowed on the table and touch wood so prehaps i am! We had 13 for Christmas lunch once at Mum's and she laid up an extra place. My Dad was born on a Friday 13th to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BarbaraJ Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 I don't walk under ladders because I don't want to get squished by something; shoes on tables are just plain dirty, crossing on the stairs could be dangerous; I think most superstitions are based on common sense. I can't explain magpies into that though!My son was born on the 13th so it's good! I believe in Italy that white cats are bad luck, so why would it be the opposite here? What I can't stand is all those superstitious text messages that I get...pass this on to 10 friends for luck or you'll get hit by a truck ballony.... *breath* Same wiht me shoes on the table ewww, don't care about umbrellas indoors or walking under ladders unless something is likely to fall on me i do touch wood but thats habit from parents rather than superstition. Never heard of saluting a magpie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LolaLayla Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 My mum was quite superstitious and I suppose I have picked up a lot from her. Not putting shoes on the table, not putting umbrellas up inside, not walking under ladders etc. She particularly did not like single magpies and thought something bad would happen if she saw just one. I believe it is bad luck for the magpie if it is on its own as I think they mate for life and it means they have lost their partner...maybe I am wrong about this though. I also touch wood and throw salt. Another one is if you drop your glove someone else should pick it up for you...don't know why. I have never heard of the nails one though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 However, I am a great believer in Karma. Me too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 just looked it up - lone magpies mean death - so thats why people always look for 2, including my poor mum. Magpies mate for life so if you see only one - it may have lost its mate. Fascinating really isnt it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Sorry should read "one is thought to mean a death" - worded totally wrongly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 I remember getting quite worried when the car in front of me hit a magpie once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 and won't cut my toenails on a Friday or a Sunday, and (none of my family are allowed to either!)... Why cant you cut toe nails on these days? TBH I don't know Goldstar....I just know it's meant to bring bad luck... I'd forgotten about the shoes on the table thing too this thread really isn't good for me...it's reminding me of all those other superstitions I thought I'd forgotten, like never sew or mend a garment you are wearing, you are (according to my Mum) sewing on sorrow , and you have to give someone a coin if they give you a knife...don't pick up a glove if dropped(that I think goes back to the old days of duelling..and a challenge taken up? could be wrong) and throwing spilt salt over your shoulder to cast out the devil I do that so automatically I wasn't even aware I was doing it...Glad I'm not more superstitious than I thought (crosses fingers) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Isn't there one about not hanging out washing on a Sunday? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 i think thats cos its the day of rest, frankly if its dry I hang mine out whatever the day - my mum never did though so there may be a superstition in it. Funny that other nationalites have them too. Must ask OH re Greek ones - they had something to do with the evil eye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackie45 Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 I am not superstitious but my mother was. She would never let us bring May blossom into the house. It was quite upsetting to bring her a brunch of wild flowers only for her to throw them out. I don't know if its a superstition in the rest of Essex but it certainly was in our part. Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 Definitely no shoes on the table and knocking on wood. For some reason when I was at school if a funeral car passed by the school we would all hold our blouse collars and then count for a certain length before looking for a magpie (I think - I might have got them all mixed up ) The urge to hold my collar is still with me now when I see a he"Ooops, word censored!". Of course black cats are lucky (although not for the birds, mice etc that Dave catches) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowberry Posted June 20, 2011 Share Posted June 20, 2011 My mum wouldn't allow blossom in the house either. When I announced a June wedding she refused to attend, mind you, my fiance was a scuz! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margalot Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 I try not to be superstitious, and have got better over the years! as you realise that bad things dont actually happen just becasue you crossed someone on the stairs or walked under a ladder! My MIL is highly superstitious though and she believes when a bee bumbles around the window its supposed to mean you get a visitor she touches wood crossed knives and forks mean a disagreement, throws spilled salt over her left shoulder, itchy palms means money- left for leave /right for recieve, ears burning - someones talking about you, money spiders get whizzed three times round peoples heads! ........I could go on and on!! but fair play to her though she did live at a number 13 for about 10 years although they did look into changing it to 12a! I thought the shoes on the table goes back to people being hanged i.e. standing on the table? My only superstition is put new clothes away quickly or OH will find out you have been shopping again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted June 21, 2011 Share Posted June 21, 2011 My only superstition is put new clothes away quickly or OH will find out you have been shopping again! Brilliant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Quelle horreurs - on the way home from work a magpie walked in front of my car I pipped him, saluted and wished him a good afternoon and advised him his wife was very nearly a widow and he escaped with his tail feathers intact. Men in white coats approaching - well either that or bad luck for the rest of my life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 I've thought of another one that I do. If I give a purse, wallet or handbag as a present - I always put a bit of money in it. I don't know what this superstition is about, but apparently that is what you should do - usually just a few coins. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkshire Pudding Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 I've noticed MIL and others doing that, but never thought of it as a superstition. It reminded me of my Dad though - each newborn grandchild has had his or her palm crossed with silver - Dad has gone to a coin dealer to get an old silver sixpence for each, placed it in the baby's hand then put it away for safe keeping. OH's family are given to cutting slots in champagne corks from special occasions and inserting a coin. I wonder if this is similar, but none of them knows why. Personally I'm not given to superstition, I ignore magpies and ladders and sweep spilled salt into the bin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 There's the same coin in the hand of newborns thing in Italy - most of my family do it and so do I. It's supposed to ensure prosperity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soapdragon Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Am I superstitious? Touch wood, no! Actually I was born on 13th - tho not a Friday - and do go out of my way to walk under ladders etc but then I guess I'm just a rebel. I did used to do the whole magpie thing but then, on driving home from my 20 week ultrasound with my second child having decided not to know the sex, saw three magpies as soon as I left the hospital! It was a boy - so gave up on that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
