Women’s Superstitions Revealed

Are you superstitious? We asked many of our visitors to contribute and the results make for one surely interesting read. From popular to crazy, here are some superstitions women believe in.

 

When I was growing up in small-town Saskatchewan my mother said, “Don’t lick your plate clean or your husband will be bald.” Well, he isn’t quite bald. However, in the next few years this one may come true!

Maxine Zdebiak

Superstitious? My mother ingrained it in me! I never walk under ladders, I shudder if someone passes me on the stairs, and I cannot bear to see anyone cross knives (arguments will ensue) without firmly asking them to uncross them, please and thank you! Whistling at the table was not allowed (a whistling woman and a crowing hen, ain’t no good for God nor man). Thanks, and make sure to back down the stairs if you are to be passed.

Nancy Ellis, St. John’s, Nfld.

I was never very superstitious, until I met my next-door neighbour. She now has me constantly looking over my shoulder! She screamed when she came into our house one day and saw a new pair of shoes sitting on the kitchen table. She has to leave by the same door she comes in — no taking a short cut through the garden if she comes in through the front door. And New Year’s Eve at her house is an experience to be remembered, with bells, money and running around the outside of the house…

Colleen Keating-Reardon

My biggest, weirdest superstition — the one I always follow — is from my mom. The rule is, Never be in the third car leaving something, because it signals there will be a funeral. (Three or more cars always follow a funeral procession.) On my wedding day, two cars carrying the wedding party left before I did. My mom made us wait 15 minutes before leaving (which, of course, made me late and everyone at the church worried sick).

The other rule is, It’s bad luck to “double back.” My sister forgot the ring, which I realized while waiting the 15 minutes in a hot car. But again, mom refused to let me go back for it. We were married without my husband’s ring and had to ad-lib.

Wendy Iles, Haliburton

This superstition is not mine, but one I have to live with. My husband believes that once you leave the house it is bad luck to turn back. We have gone on trips without maps, toothbrushes and, one time, my purse!

During a 10-hour trip I left my purse in a McDonald`s ladies room. I discovered my mistake about an hour later, but he WOULD NOT turn around, convinced that the rest of our trip would be disastrous! It was — no man should come between a woman and her purse! But the fates were with me on the return trip. A good soul had turned in my beloved purse with everything intact. I believe it had a lot to do with my “knock on wood” theory. I had my purse, and hubby had a bad headache.

Tanya Edwards

I am absolutely superstitious. I never walk under a ladder, and the most annoying thing is that I never twist things up. If I turn one way to get the milk from the fridge, I always turn the other way to replace it!

Valerie King

I am an online bingo addict and I always wear Red when I am playing. Red is the most auspicious color and brings luck. There have been times when I drew out a red blouse from the laundry basket because I had to wear red when playing. I have been fairly lucky with bingo but since I have never worn anything but red when playing, I cannot say how not doing so, would affect my game.

Christy Dennings

In our family we say “white rabbits, white rabbits, white rabbits” on the first day of each month before noon. It is supposed to bring good luck in the new month. We also say “Hares, Hares, Hares” on the last day of the month, to say good bye to the past month — sort of a send-off. I don’t remember when or where this started. All I know is I have been doing it since I can remember. And guess what? I have my husband doing it now. I guess superstitions are contagious.

There have been times that I have forgotten my little ritual on the first and last day of the month. So far it hasn’t made any difference. Or has it? You never know.

Hayley Morgan

 

Actually, it’s my husband who is quite superstitious. He used to be a goaltender on one of our city’s hockey teams. He had to do everything a certain way before he suited up to play — putting on the right leg before the left, and wearing the same underwear for each game without washing them if they had won the previous games (it could be one or it could be 10 games.) “Yuck,” is what I say.

Jim is quite wary of black cats, but I adore them. And just to get him going, I open an umbrella in the house. He usually has to leave the room when I do that.

As you can tell, I’m not as superstitious, and he is. Oh well, it adds spice to our marriage.

Liette

My superstitions stem from my mother. From not rocking an empty rocking chair (neither of us are quite sure why) to not eating the stringy inner peel of a banana because it might cause convulsions, I have been taught to fear questionable things. Although I know eating the stringy parts of a banana will not cause convulsions, I peel them off before eating one every time. Another classic involves cutlery. If you drop a fork, four people are expected to arrive. If you drop a knife, a man will arrive. If you drop a spoon, a crowd is to be expected.

I have lived with these “truths” for more than 30 years. Thanks, Mom.

Connie Boudreau

How superstitious am I? I count the cracks in the sidewalk and never step on the 13th one so that I won’t break my mother’s back. (I would reconsider if it were my mother-in-law.) I also refuse to work on Friday the 13th, and I lock my husband in the closet when there is a full moon.

Louise Kovacs

I am not superstitious at all. Ever. My hand automatically throws a pinch of spilled salt over my shoulder (not me). The hairs on the back of my neck rise when I see a ladder in my path (not my wish). I can throw out a turkey wishbone any time I like (not my choice to make sure it is dry and wished upon before it hits the garbage can). And when one of my three black cats crosses my path, it’s his bad luck for being in my way (he yowls louder than I as we recover from our “trip”).

Colleen Gulka

This story is about my father-in-law. He is so superstitious that if you cross over him in any way (for instance, walk over his legs while they are stretched out), he will make you cross back the other way. He won’t let up until you do this. He thinks it will bring him bad luck! I just kill myself laughing — I can’t believe a grown man can be so serious about something so funny!

Julie Spadaccini

My mother says don’t bathe on your birthday or New Year’s Day, or you’ll wash all your luck away; when you give gifts, keep them in pairs for luck; and avoid the number four because it means death. I don’t believe any of it, but my kids are adamant that I listen, so I humour them.

Shuky

Superstitions in my family have become the root of some of our family traditions. One superstition we follow closely is that the first person in the family to say “rabbits” on the first day of each month will receive good luck for the remainder of the month. The last day of each month often finds my husband and I both pretending to sleep but slyly watching the clock radio for the time to show 12:01.

Another superstition we follow closely was passed down from my grandmother on my father’s side. It is the belief that should one cut one’s fingernails or toenails on Sunday, one will incur bad luck. I grew up with this as a household rule and will not allow my husband or children to touch the nail clippers on a Sunday. This has also been extended to clipping the dog’s nails.

The Bancrofts

The three superstitions my mother drilled into my head and that I follow (even though I find them unfoundedt) are:

1. Never sing at the dinner table. If you sing at the table during a meal, you will marry a fool. One can never hedge bets on marriage, and who wants a fool?
2. Never do washing on Sunday or you’ll have the devil with you all week. Well, I can get into enough trouble on my own that I don’t need the devil helping for a week.
3. Never cut your nails on Sunday, for the devil will be with you. As above, who needs the devil?

The silliest superstition I observe is to make wishes when I eat a “wish chip” (any potato chip that is folded over), and I repeat my wish 3 times!

Jackie Hemingway

I never thought I was superstitious but I really have a problem with odd numbers. If I can control it, I choose everything with an even number — at the grocery store, at work and at home! I was born on an even year, even month and even day — I wonder if that has something to do with it.

Unfortunately, I fell in love with a guy who was born on an odd day, in an odd month. Nothing too terrible has happened to us — yet!

Corrine Sawatsky

I would never get rid of excess salt in my hand, other than tossing it over my left shoulder. Some years ago I fell into a ditch and badly twisted my ankle because I would not go under a ladder. When I see a black cat in my path, I spit three times (discreetly) and touch a button.

Gallia Feldman