I won’t leave the house in the morning until I poop. I won’t leave for a big trip on a Friday. I always sit in the very back row of the plane if it’s available.

Anonymous wrote:I don't know if it's a superstition per se, but my family doesn't believe in naming children before they're born or doing too much to prepare. I'm always stunned by people who point to their pregnant belly and refer to their fetus by name, or decorate the nursery complete with child's name displayed.

Jewish tradition

I don't know if it's a superstition per se, but my family doesn't believe in naming children before they're born or doing too much to prepare. I'm always stunned by people who point to their pregnant belly and refer to their fetus by name, or decorate the nursery complete with child's name displayed.

Don’t put a hat on the bed. My Mom was very superstitious about this one. I never understood the reasoning behind it.
Picking up a coin or a pin was considered good luck.

Anonymous wrote:Korean PP here - once I gave a Jewish friend a knife set as a wedding gift. They paid me a dollar for it and explained that if you gift a knife, you risk severing the friendship. It must have worked because we’re still friends!

Koreans have so many superstitions around gift giving. I can’t think of all of them. Like baby showers aren’t a thing there because it would be presumptuous and bring bad luck to give a gift before the baby is delivered healthy and well. Gosh, and we have so many superstitions around pregnancy and childbirth too…

This is prevalent in many Asian cultures. I'm Japanese, and I felt highly uncomfortable when my coworkers organized a surprise baby shower for me. My son was born very premature and has lifelong disabilities from his complicated birth. I have refused to have a shower for my other kids.

Not a superstition but I never put my purse on the floor.

Don't celebrate birthday before the actual day.

Eating the heel of the loaf gives you curly hair

Tuck a piece of wrapped wedding cake under your pillow and you will dream about the man you will marry

You lose 1 tooth for each child who you birth.

Eat burnt toast to get curly hair.

I must I must I must increase my bust exercise

Don’t give knives as a gift. As a workaround, the recipient can give you a penny to “buy” them.

Don’t wish someone happy birthday or celebrate a birthday before the actual day.

If you have house guests, don’t take down/wash their bedding until they have made it back home/reached their next destination.

Don’t hug/shake hands across the doorway.

If your palm itches, you’re going to come into money soon. It always happens to me on payday!

Korean PP here - once I gave a Jewish friend a knife set as a wedding gift. They paid me a dollar for it and explained that if you gift a knife, you risk severing the friendship. It must have worked because we’re still friends!

Koreans have so many superstitions around gift giving. I can’t think of all of them. Like baby showers aren’t a thing there because it would be presumptuous and bring bad luck to give a gift before the baby is delivered healthy and well. Gosh, and we have so many superstitions around pregnancy and childbirth too…

I’m Korean so we have tons:

-Don’t clip your nails or cut your hair right before a big exam… you know, just in case any knowledge is stores in those dead skin cells.

-Pearls may be purchase for oneself but are not to be given as gifts because it’s like you’re giving tears (since they’re from the sea)

-The head of your bed must not face north because that’s how they bury their dead.

-You don’t stick your chopsticks upright in your rice in between bites, you set them to rest on your chopstick rest thingy. This has something to do with food that is offered to deceased ancestors.

-If you give a purse or a wallet as a gift, you never give it empty, you always ensure you give it with at least a dollar in it in order to make sure it gets the recipient off to a prosperous start.

These are just off the top of my head. I have so many more.

My sister wore a winter beanie for a week in the middle of the hottest week in July when she was 2 years old. Refused to take it off. She was diagnosed with leukemia that week. And now I won’t let my kids wear beanies ever because I think they will get cancer.

I have three my mom always did growing up:

1. The Christmas tree can only come down after New Year's day or else you'll have back luck
2. If you spill salt, you toss some over your shoulder for good luck/to ward off bad luck
3. Never return to your house for something you forgot. Returning to your house and starting your trip again meant disaster would be waiting.

The last one was a huge one for her. I remember one year as we started out of town on our vacation car trip, my dad realized he left his meds on the table. We had to turn back for them and she said "well, we might as well cancel the trip because it's doomed now." And she was right. We got stuck in traffic from a pile-up, we got lost on the detour, the hotel gave away our room and only had a room with 1 king bed available and no cots so all 4 of us had to sleep in the same bed for a few nights, the car broke down on the way home, and other little things.

It's funny because this year I heard a friend say they always rush to get the Christmas tree down before New Year's eve or else it's bad luck to carry the best year into the new year.

My grandma used to say if you drop a fork, a man will come to your house. If you drop a spoon, a woman will come to your house. If you drop a knife, a couple will come to your house.

There was also some rule about putting newly purchased shoes on the kitchen table because it would give you hot feet.

I have no idea why she believed any of this.

She was born a raised American with Polish immigrant/Cajun parents.

What superstitions did your family have?