What are your superstitions?

My (Irish) mother was very superstitious so I have heard of many of these superstitions before. I never salute magpies but must admit to looking for a second one, for 'joy'. For fun we (DGC) crack the top of a finished boiled egg, but to let the fairies, not witches out. When they were little they swore they saw the fairies flying to the light, usually the window.

I always say 'hello' to the moon when I see it. I don't know why. That just seems to have grown because of my interest in the extra terrestrial!

I will say 'Touch Wood' or 'Cross Fingers' but it is more a turn of phrase than a superstition. I will walk under ladders usually because it is safer than stepping into the street.

Oh and I was 13 on Friday the 13th so maybe that has some significance!!

I am gobsmacked by this thread! op sounds exactly like my grandmother, 1887 - 1960, an uneducated country woman.
Even my mother laughed at these daft old beliefs, most of which were due to knowing nothing about why things happened so placating evil (just in case!) Everything unpleasant was caused by bad luck so cross your fingers and you'd come to no harm.
I trust in God to keep me safe, which of course many would say is superstition too!

You're more than welcome, Susan it's nice to hear some slightly different superstitions.

I've learned some new superstitions. If you don't mind, I'm from Reno Nevada US and here are a few from my Dad. Don't put a hat on your bed. Beware of white horses, they carry demons. If you make a wish or say you don't want something to happen-knock 3 times on wood. Of course, salt over left shoulder. Cut the end off a cucumber and rub it in circles against the rest of the cucumber before cutting it into pieces.
If any of you mind me posting please tell me. I don't want to put my nose into somewhere I'm not wanted.

I can identify with most of these superstitions but one I don't think has been mentioned is not to knit or sew on a Sunday. My mum was always strict on this.

Usually do the magpie thing but not really sure why.
My mother in law had a real thing about putting shoes on the table. She would go mad if anyone did it.

My mother and siblings are all incredibly superstitious and it used to irritate the life out of me when I lived at home; the list of things to be done or avoided were legion. I'm happy to say I have no superstitions.

I always pick up a penny i see on the ground for good luck.

No none, can't be bothered

I don't walk under ladders (practical reasons), I do throw spilt salt over my left shoulder although I don't remember why. I DO touch wood but here in Italy it's iron. Am not sure about black cats as I remember them on Good Luck cards in England but here absolutely not! Bad things DO seem to happen in threes, and this is universal. However, here it's Friday 17th while in Greece am told it's Tuesday 13th. So maybe our Friday 13th is not to be feared. Here they say not to put a hat on a bed, nor to sit on a bed once it has been made.

I do all the things you all mention, again mainly due to a very superstitious mum.
And my (short) street doesn't have a number 13 either.
My daughter was once telling my late brother she kept seeing one magpie. He said he wouldn't pay any attention, as he kept seeing two and ''nothing good ever happens to me!'') said tongue in cheek.

My Grandma was strict about never having red and white flowers in the same vase. She told me it was to remember the nurses in the battlefield during WW1. They had seen enough white bandages bathed in red and couldn't bear to see those colours together without terrible memories being brought back.

So even today, I never do put red and white flowers together.

We moved house on a Friday 13th and only paid half the usual removal costs! Another superstition, passed on by my mother,--"See a pin and pick it up and all the day you'll have good luck."

Most care homes don't have a room number 13, or at least they never used to.

Blimey! - I thought I was bad greeting magpies! I now count myself as entirely sane!

How many streets and avenues have a number 13? Mine doesn't, and yet it would make perfect sense to have one as the houses are numbered in sequence here, 1,2,3, etc.

Planners/builders must believe they wouldn't sell because people are superstitious about number 13 being unlucky.

Thank you all for sharing, there were a few I wasn't aware of, particularly bashing the egg shell. I so adored grannyTickTocks pencil sharpener, made me laugh. My DH is ex navy so just have to ask him about not writing H* name. The fish explanation made excellent sense, probably saved a lot of sickness with that one ? I enjoy reading about old traditions and folklore. Pne new one I must try is asking the ants to stay out! We have millions here !!! May you all be blessed with good luck and fortune today ?????

I read many years ago that it was bad luck to wash on Good Friday or New Year's Day as someone will be washed out of your life! Also, if someone dropped a glove and you picked it up for them, they must not thank you for doing so. My husband is from a small southern Italian village, and if my mother in law saw a gypsy come begging in the locality, she and the other mother's would get their children inside pretty quick. Very superstitious.

Oh I'd forgotten about the "find a penny, spit on it and put it in your pocket", but that's something I do. Didn't know about the not stirring anything with a knife though. Maybe if I'd have known, I'd still have a top on my left thumb.

I have many of the superstitions above, also, don't stir with a knife. It stirs trouble and strife. If you find a penny, spit on it for luck. If you drop a glove, ask someone else to pick it up.

The only thing I'm not keen on is people crossing on the stairs at home or work but, strangely, I never think anything about people crossing on the stairs or steps when I'm out shopping.

Oh no, don't worry! I use my navel for that!

? oh no, was that your Guinness bottle opening thumb?

Sorry lemon . And I fear it is I that needs to lose weight, not you. But I made some inroads to weight loss today.... I sliced the top off my thumb off with a bread knife. see, I told you crossing on the stairs was bad luck

Mazza245, apologies about my confusing post. I actually should have said, if Friday 13th was the next day, she would leave the date at Thursday 12th and wouldn't change the calendar until Saturday 14th. I attach a picture of her old calendar, it was very dusty though.
I had forgotten about bashing empty boiled eggs. Dad always did it, but I didn't know the reason.