superstitions – Site Title

In one word, YES!

It comes from having lived in Asia for many years and from having traveled around the world. There are many superstitions that people around the world believe in and not of the mundane kind either! A black cat crossing in front of you is said to bring bad luck but the kind I have come across blows that assumption away!

The Asians have this thing about leaving your shoes outside when you go into someone’s house. It is said to bring whatever that has latched on to you into the house! Washing your feet after visiting a graveyard is another one. This is so you don’t bring any spirits into your home. I still do that as a precaution! Or the idea of burning paper money, houses, servants and whatever so that the dead have all of those things in the afterlife may seem bizarre but it is done in certain parts of the world. How about this one? The richer you are, the longer the family and relatives mourn your demise with music, singing, food and whatnots right in front of the coffin to show respect and to show how well to do you are or they are and this is done for a week or longer!

These are just the tip of the iceberg. I’ve picked up plenty along the way. Some say I am very supertitious and maybe I am. Besides washing my feet before coming into the house after a graveyard visit, I throw salt over my shoulder to ward off bad spirits and to bring good luck. I don’t do any cleaning on New Year’s day because you may sweep or vacuum “luck” away! I don’t open an umbrella inside the house because it is said to rain bad luck on you and bad luck happens in threes! There are plenty more but it’s too early in the morning to drum them all up.

I wouldn’t say “supertitious” is my middle name but pretty close!

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Here’s how to start the New Year on the right foot. These traditions from around the globe according to Afar.com shows you how the rest of the world welcomes the new year in.

Eating lucky foods is one way to do it. Most of Latin America eats 12 grapes or raisins on New Year’s Eve. Italy, on the other hand, eats 12 spoonfuls of lentils – one with each of the 12 chimes of the clock at midnight. The French eat a stack of pancakes. The Germans prefer marzipan shaped like a pig for good luck and in the Netherlands people eat doughnuts and ring shaped food. In the U.S., it’s collard greens and black-eyed peas.

In the Phillipines, the Filipino community believes that wearing round shapes like polka dots promotes prosperity and good luck. Eating round fruits like oranges, grapes, watermelon and pomelos counts as well.

In Brazil, wearing white on New Year’s Eve symbolizes peace and spiritual cleansing. At midnight, everyone runs into the water to jump over seven waves, each wave represents resolutions or hopes for the New Year.

If you want a year filled with travel and new experiences, do what the Mexicans do. They walk around with an empty suitcase or they take a full lap around the block with their empty luggage. Worth a try?

In Cuba, people gather all of the bad spirits and negative energy from the past 365 days and toss them out the front door. You’ll see buckets full of dirty water flying out of homes during the countdown to midnight. Just don’t get any splashed on you, if you know what I mean. Actually, I’m thinking of trying this one myself!

Podariko is a Greek custom where they hang pomegranates in their households and this is thought to bring good luck. Just before midnight, they shut off the lights and leave the house and then one lucky individual is sent to reenter the house but with the right foot first. A second person will smash the pomegranate against the door with their right hand. The more juicy seeds that spill out, the more luck the new year will bring.

In Russia, they use 12 seconds of silence before the stroke of midnight to make wishes.

In Denmark, the Danes will jump off a chair or sofa literally jumping into the new year! Good luck if you do and bad luck if you don’t.

The Italians and the Spanish take it to another level. They all wear red underwear for luck. Now, you know what’s under the clothes they’re wearing!

In Japan they feast on prawns believed to bring a long life and herring roe to boost fertility. Hmm….

The Irish bang the outside walls of their houses with bread to keep away bad luck and evil spirits. Why bread? Ask them.

There you have it, some of the traditions used to welcome the new year in. I’ll add one more. I was married to a German and my ex mother-in-law used to cook a big pot of pork ribs with sauerkraut and black-eyed peas for days on end before New Year and she swears that eating it on New Year’s day brings good luck. I used to eat it simply because that was the main dish for New Year! Did it bring luck? Your guess is as good as mine!

HAPPY NEW YEAR folks with whatever traditions you use to bring the New Year in. Let’s hope this next year will be a good one and that’s what matters.

Have an amazing day.

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Superstitious?

Start the New Year Right!