Superstitions

All my life I've tried to ovoid looking at a new moon through glass. It's supposed to be very unlucky.

What about looking at the new moon through glass ? And then there's killing spiders!

I looked at the new moon through glass last night, so I had to then go outside with some money, spit on it and turn it over in the palm of my hand

Spilt salt, magpies, red and white flowers, iron any diamond shapes out of bedsheets, don't stir with a knife, don't wash on New Year's Day,
oh how I wish friends and family had never told me any of those things.

Jackyb The 'eye' in the peacock feather allows evil spirits to see into our world. Allegedly.

Peacock feathers in the house are supposed to be bad luck JackieB

Don't grans have enough on their plates besides enslaving themselves to the superstitions of our peasant ancestors? We've got self-determination now, so do yourselves a favour and give up these ridiculous rituals. No offence intended.

New shoes on the table was always related to death,the laying out of a body in the house!

Red & white flowers in the same vase meant a death on the ward! My next door neighbour & I both trained in the 60s & always put a daff or a cornflower in a bouquet!
PS l don't believe any of it!

Always disappointed to first see the new moon through glass. Only last week I was pleased that saw it as I was leaving a friend's house and pointed it out to her too!
When I see magpies I always go through the One for Sorrow, Two for Joy rhyme to remember what they portend.
Don't like to see shoes on a table, any, not just new ones!
Occasionally touch wood.
Like to take down Christmas decorations by 6th January.
Would never bring may (hawthorn blossom) indoors.

So I'm far more superstitious than I thought I was. Most of these are from my granny who came from a farming community on the Welsh/ Borders.

One I learnt from my old landlady: never mend a garment while you are still wearing it - sewing sorrow to your soul.

My mum loved all the old superstitions. Here's some of hers:

It's unlucky to look at the back of a hay cart or lorry. Very difficult if you find yourself driving along behind one though

Don't put new shoes on the table

If you drop a glove someone else should pick it up for you - and you mustn't say thank you to them

Lucky at cards, unlucky in love (and vice versa)

Rain before 07.00 cease before 11.00

Change the name but not the letter, change for worse and not for better. (Which means, if a woman marries a man whose surname starts with the same letter as hers, it will go badly for her!)

There were many more as already mentioned - crossed knives; opening an umbrella indoors; looking at a new moon through glass; passing on the stairs. And doubtless many more I can't remember!

My mother believed in all the superstitions mentioned as well as not sewing on a Sunday, crossed knives meant a quarrel and the wearing of green. Never wore green until I was grown up.

Indinana. I well remember that dropped glove thing and not saying thank you. I don't embrace most of these old superstitions myself. The new moon used to make me laugh and the turning a coin. I marvelled at it the other night just for its beauty. I was pointing it out to my 3 yr old grandson and he sang a little song about it. I couldn't work out the words but thought it was so sweet. Sorry, I digress.

I'm surprised anyone believes these superstitions now. My grandmother did but she was born in 1890. My mother (born 1919) certainly didn't.
"Rain before 7, sun before 11" isn't a superstition, early rain is usually a front which has passed a few hours later.

Never give a blade as a present - the ties of friendship will be cut.

If the person gives you a shiny coin in exchange it's OK, because they have 'bought' it from you

Never cut your finger or toe nails on a Sunday or you will have bad luck. I remember discussing this superstition with my auntie who confessed that she didn't risk doing it on a Friday either..

I understood that if you put shoes on the table you wouldn't get married.

Never cut toe or finger nails on a Sunday but this could be a Sabbath reason I guess.

I never point at a rainbow for fear of bad luck or look at a full moon through glass but not sure why that is!

If you give a gift of anything that has a knife in it (i.e. cutlery set etc.) always insist on a penny given back in exchange so that...'the friendship isn't cut'.

On no account would I bring peacock feathers indoors.

I'm pleased to hear that there are so many other folk out there who have these 'strange' ways!

Long may we thrive...fingers crossed!