Superstitions and omens in the UK. Суеверия и приметы в Великобритании

1. FRIDAY THE 13TH
FRIDAY THE 13TH IS CONSIDERED AN UNLUCKY DAY (ACCORDING TO CHRISTIAN TRADITION, JESUS DIED ON A FRIDAY)
THE NUMBER “13” HAS BEEN CONSIDERED UNLUCKY FOR A LONG TIME SINCE “12” IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE PERFECT NUMBER (12 MONTHS / 12 HOURS ON THE CLOCK / 12 APOSTLES / ETC.)
DID YOU KNOW THAT MOST BUILDINGS DON’T EVEN HAVE A 13TH FLOOR?

2. WALKING UNDER A Ladder
WALKING UNDER A LADDER IS CONSIDERED BAD LUCK
THE REASON IT IS CONSIDERED BAD LUCK IS BECAUSE LADDERS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH GALLOWS AND EXECUTIONS
ANOTHER POPULAR BELIEF IS BECAUSE A LADDER CAN CREATE A TRIANGLE SHAPE. THIS TRIANGLE SHAPE CAN BE INTERPRETED AS THE HOLY TRINITY (FATHER, SON AND THE HOLY GHOST). WALKING THROUGH THE LADDER WOULD BREAK THE TRIANGLE AND BE BLASPHEMOUS

3. Spilling salt
SPILLING SALT IS CONSIDERED BAD LUCK
THIS SPICE WAS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE DURING ANCIENT TIMES AND THE ELIZABETHAN ERA (1558 – 1603)
THE MOST COMMON BELIEF REQUIRES YOU TO TOSS SOME SALT OVER YOUR LEFT SHOULDER INTO THE DEVIL’S FACE WHO IS THERE
ANOTHER POPULAR REASON COMES FROM THE LAST SUPPER BY LEONARDO DA VINCI WHERE JUDAS SPILLED THE SALT

4. Black cats CROSSING YOUR PATH
BLACK CATS CROSSING YOUR PATH IS CONSIDERED BAD LUCK
MOST LIKELY, THE SUPERSTITIONS COMES FROM THE OLD BELIEF THAT WITCHES HAVE BLACK CATS
IT WASN’T UNTIL THE MIDDLE-AGES IN EUROPE WHEN THE CAT BECAME ASSOCIATED WITH WITCHES.

5. BREAKING A MIRROR
BREAKING A MIRROR GIVES YOU BAD LUCK FOR SEVEN YEARS!
THE SUPERSTITIONS COMES FROM THE BELIEF THAT MIRRORS DON’T JUST REFLECT YOUR IMAGE, THEY ALSO HOLD PIECES OF YOUR SOUL. IF YOU BROKE A MIRROR, YOUR SOUL WAS TRAPPED IN THE PIECES OF THE MIRROR
ESSENTIALLY, A BROKEN MIRROR CREATED A BROKEN SOUL

6. OPENING AN UMBRELLA INSIDE
OPENING AN UMBRELLA INSIDE BRINGS YOU BAD LUCK
LEGEND SAYS THAT A ROMAN WOMAN OPENED HER UMBRELLA INSIDE HER HOUSE AND MOMENTS LATER, HER HOUSE COLLAPSED
ANOTHER STORY IS ABOUT A BRITISH PRINCE WHO RECEIVED TWO UMBRELLAS FROM A VISITING KING AND HE DIED TWO MONTHS LATER

7. KNOCKING ON WOOD
KNOCKING ON WOOD WARDS OFF BAD LUCK
THE FIXATION ON WOOD MAY COME FROM OLD MYTHS ABOUT GOOD SPIRITS LIVING IN TREES
IN ENGLISH FOLKLORE, PEOPLE WOULD KNOCK ON WOOD WHILE TELLING SECRETS TO HIDE THEIR COMMUNICATION FROM EVIL SPIRITS AND TALK MORE IN PRIVATE
IT CAN ALSO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE CHRISTIAN CROSS WHICH WAS MADE OF WOOD

8. CROSSING YOUR FINGERS
PEOPLE WISHING FOR GOOD LUCK WILL OFTEN CROSS THEIR FINGERS
THE REASON, AS THE STORY GOES, IS THAT TWO PEOPLE USED TO CROSS INDEX FINGERS WHEN MAKING A WISH, A SYMBOL OF SUPPORT FROM A FRIEND
THE TRADITION BECAME SOMETHING PEOPLE COULD DO BY THEMSELVES AND NOWADAYS, JUST SAYING “FINGERS CROSSED” IS ENOUGH
CROSSING YOUR FINGERS CAN ALSO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE CHRISTIAN CROSS

OTHER SUPERSTITIONS
AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY
FINDING A FOUR LEAF CLOVER IS GOOD LUCK
STEP ON A CRACK, BREAK YOUR MOTHER’S BACK
AT THE END OF A RAINBOW IS A POT OF GOLD
A RABBIT’S FOOT BRINGS GOOD LUCK
GARLIC PROTECTS AGAINST VAMPIRES
RUNNING AROUND THE HOUSE WITH LUGGAGE ON NEW YEAR’S WILL MAKE YOU TRAVEL MORE