Superstitions

Friday the 13^th has a negative connotation as a day of ill fortune. People will avoid having major events (business meetings, socials, banquets) because of the fear that they'll go badly. For other days of the year, there's the good luck horseshoe. If it's put over a door, on a wall, or on a door with the legs pointed up it brings good luck to the person living in the house.

Superstitions are somewhat funny to us now, but in medieval times they were very serious. You didn't want to miss saying bless you to someone who sneezed, for instance, because a sneeze opened them up to the devil. How many of us say bless you to someone who sneezes today? It's become a habit for most people and there aren't many who know where the saying originated.

A black cat crossing your path brings you bad luck. This is another one that originated a long time ago. It's given black cats a bad rep that follows them even to this day. Black cats are less likely to be adopted, they're more likely to be euthanized because people won't adopt them, and there are still people are rumored to use them for satanic rites.

What about bells? Why do we hear wedding bells? Bells were thought to keep devils away from important events. This tradition started in Queen Elizabeth I's reign. They were used to drive off evil spirits and to ask prayers for the departed soul.

There are so many superstitions. Some people believe in them and some don't. Here is a list of the 25 most popular superstitions around the world. It's interesting to read about the different ones.

What are some superstitions you've heard of?