Superstitions

Going Home---Superstitions

Not being a superstitious person myself (knock on wood),I still love to learn about the customs of people ,not only in Appalachia but all over the world.From what I can see,no one is immune from this belief that "luck" helps shape our destiny.

Here are just a few superstitions you may recognize,with many more to come with the kind contributions of visitors.

Superstition Categories


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Hair

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**Two vampire bats wake up in the middle of the night, thirsty for blood.**
**One says, "Let's fly out of the cave and get some blood."**
**"We're new here," says the second one. "It's dark out, and we don't know**
**where to look. We'd better wait until the other bats go with us."**
**The first bat replies, "Who needs them? I can find some blood somewhere."**
**He flies out of the cave.**
**When he returns, he is covered with blood.**
**The second bat says excitedly, "Where did you get the blood?"**
**The first bat takes his buddy to the mouth of the cave. Pointing into the**
**night, he asks, "See that black building over there?"**
**"Yes," the other bat answers.**
**"Well," says the first bat, "I didn't."**

Monday's child is fair of face;

Tuesday's child is full of grace;

Wednesday's child is full of woe;

Thursday's child has far to go;

Friday's child is loving and giving;

Saturday's child works hard for a living.

But the child that is born on the Sabbath day
is fair and wise,good and gay.

Weather Predictions

If it thunders before 7:00 a.m.,it will rain before 11:00 a.m.
If the sun shines through broken clouds,there will be rain.
If a cow shakes its its leg backwards,it will rain within 3 days.
If flies gather in large numbers in dry areas (like porches,etc.)it will rain.
If you hear a crow calling in the morning it will rain.
If a silver maple shows its leaf lining it will rain.
If the sun is shining while it's raining,it will rain again the next day.
If a pig carries a stick in its mouth,there will be cold weather.
If animals seem busier than usual,the weather is going to change.
If a rooster crows after a shower,the weather will be clear.
If a locust is heard,clear weather will prevail.
If there is a green cloud and green lightning,there will be hail.
If a pig squeals in winter,there will be snow.
If the smoke from a chimney goes to the ground,there will be snow.
If the fire pops slowly and continuously, it indicates cold weather.

My grandma told me this one. And it always seams to come true. If you see blackbirds on a wire there will be rain within 3 days. JK

Thanks,J.K.Contributions are always appreciated.

My dad always told me the woolie worms told the type of winter we would have the black being servere and the brown mild. If a woolie worm was
black/brown/black then that meant that the winter would start off very cold,
warm up, very cold again.

My uncle always told me that the fog that rose up in ribbons from the
mountains was in early morning was the steam from groundhogs making coffee

Molly

Romans believed mirrors reflected the inner and outer health of the viewer To break one meant ill health.Believing that a person's health changed every 7 years,it meant years of bad luck to break a mirror.To break the glass prevented the soul from reuniting with the body,bringing it bad luck.

"Three on a match" was bad luck.During WW1,by the time three men had used one match,the enemy had zeroed in on them. (how many government officials did it take to figure that one out?)

One reason for "knock on wood" is the fact that anyone could find safety behind the doors of a church in Medieval times and to knock on wood and have it answered meant rescue.

Horseshoes were considered lucky for their healing powers,especially for hiccups and they protected against witches.Because of their crescent moon shape,it was believed they protected against the evil eye.

Earrings were used to cure poor eyesight or as a protection against drowning.

A person born on Halloween can see and talk to the spirits.(a bottle of Jack Daniels will do the same thang)

Saying "God Bless You" has many versions,but the one I tend to believe comes from when the plague was destroying Europe and the Pope dictated that anyone should immediately say God Bless You when a person sneezed in the belief it would help protect that person.

Church bells were often pealed during thunderstorms to prevent damage by lightning, and to protect those within hearing range.

Wherever this bell sounds,
let the power of enemy retire,
so also the shadow of phantoms,
the assault of whirlwinds,
the stroke of lightnings,
the harm of thunders,
the injuries of tempests,
and every spirit of the storm-winds.

Hey, enjoyed your site and thought I'd add something :o)

I read the superstition about not cutting a baby's hair or nails til their first birthday, but I'm only familar with a variation of that.....don't cut the nails before the baby is christianed.

Also, never put shoes on a table or someone will die (although, I think this has more to do with someone just not wanting their table to get dirty!). I've also heard that one applied to new shoes only.

~Rai

Thanks Rai--I love to hear from visitors.Your contribution is greatly appreciated.

March 12,2004

Changing Seasons In Appalachia

1. It will be three months from the first time you hear a katydid until frost.

2. If the groundhog sees his shadow on Ground Hog Day, there will be forty more days of bad weather; if not, winter is broke. (February 14)

3. Every day it thunders in February, it will frost the same day in May. (If the weather is cloudy, it may not frost, but the temperature will be cold enough for frost.)

Severity of Winter

4. The number of fogs in August determines how many snows there will be the following winter.

5. Thick corn shucks mean a severe winter. Count the layers of shucks to find out how many snows there will be.

6. Many people hold that more dark than light woolie worms presage a severe
winter. Our informant watches their behavior: If most of the woolie worms seem to be headed southward, it will be a bad winter.

7. A popping wood fire is a sign that snow is coming soon.

8. If a rabbit stirs early on a snowy day, it will snow again the next day.

Rain or Shine

9. A ring around the moon with no stars inside is a sign of a week's pretty weather, but there will be as many rains as there are stars inside the ring.

10. Warm wind in summer means rain is in store.

11. Rain before seven will end by eleven. (This used to work but has been failing lately.)

12. Smoke rises when fair weather is coming and falls when bad weather is coming.

13. If smoke from the chimney goes toward the ground, there will be fallin weather.

14. When maple and poplar leaves turn upside down, rain is on the way.

15. Red sky in morning, sailor take warning. Red sky at night, ship's delight.

16. If the sun shines while it is raining, it will rain again the next day.

17. When dew is on the grass, Rain will come to pass.

**General Superstitions**
If you walk with your hands locked behind your head, it will kill your mother.(or you jest got arrested)	Try not to sit with your back to the fire. (it helps you not to catch your britches on fire,too)
If the right hand itches,you're going to be poor. (or you got poison ivy)	If the first butterfly you see in spring is white,you will have good luck all year.(I'm buyin' a butterfly net first thing tomorrow)
When saying your morning prayers,if you don't end with "Amen",the whole day will be a prayer. (Isn't that a lovely thought?)	If you forget something from home and go to retrieve it,first stop and make a cross in the middle of the road and spit on it.(I really wouldn't advise that.)
There are many versions of this,but in the mountains if we suddenly had a shiver,we would say "A possum just ran over my grave".	Does your nose itch?You're about to kiss a fool. (been thar,done that)
Devils don't like loud noises,so ringing a bell keeps them away.(you're headed for a straight jacket if you follow some of these guidelines)	You must get out of bed on the same side you got into it or you know what happens!"Got out of bed on the wrong side".tsk,tsk
A "v" sign made behind one's head is the sign of the devil.(and we thought it was the family clown messin' up the pictures with this antic)	If a penny is heads down on the ground,it is bad luck to pick it up.
If a candle flame suddenly turns blue, there's a ghost nearby.(or there's a problem in the diet.Think about it.)	If you drop a spoon,you will have female company.Dropping a fork will bring male company.Drop a knife to break the spell. (good way to never git invited anywhere to eat)
Don't give a friend a knife as a gift, or it will cut the friendship.Another version is that if a person gives you a knife as a gift,you must give them a coin in return to avoid having the friendship severed.(if you owe the friend money and haven't repaid,forget the knife gift)	Don't watch a person until they are out of sight or you won't see them again. (some of um I don't want to ever see agin)
Close umbrellas before bringing them into a house. (unless you have a really big house or like poking somebody in the eye)	Burn up the rubbish when you sweep on New Year's Day and you will have money throughout the new year.(plus a ticket from the fire marshall)
Never shave at night. (geez--no soap,no sweepin',no haircombin',ashes everywhere--no wonder people have bad luck)	Don't let two people comb your hair at once. (I'm sure we have two people fightin' over who gits to comb our hair.Right)
Let a baby's hair and fingernails grow until their 1st birthday.(a man had to invent that one)	Absolutely no haircuts in March. (barbers just love this)
Avoid combing your hair after dark.(shore hope you ain't got a late date--yore gonna look like a mess.)	Don't look into a mirror over another's shoulder.(one ugly reflection at a time is enough)
Never rub soap on your skin on a Friday.(maybe that's why you shouldn't travel--nobody will git near you)	Never start a trip on Friday or you will have misfortune. (kind of ruins a weekend don't it?)
If you drop your comb while using it,you're out of luck for that day.A disappointment is coming your way. (I ain't used a comb in years and it hasn't helped)	If a candle used in a ceremony goes out before the ceremony ends,there are evil spirits about.(Or a draft)
Don't turn a chair on one leg. (your leg or the chair's?)	Never wash a flag. (heck,people don't fly'em much less wash'em)
Don't burn sassafras wood.(I love to make it into tea.)	Never shake hands through a window or over a fence. (it will probably be a burglar anyway)
When your name is called, don't answer the first time-it may be the Devil calling you. (or your boss gittin' pretty preturbed)	Avoid stepping over a person who is lying down. (what weirdo walks on the bed?Don't answer that.)
You mustn't allow a candle to burn itself out. (the local fire department thanks you)	Don't walk backwards.(never fear-I do good to walk forwards)
Avoid measuring a person who is lying down. (does not apply to undertakers)	Never whistle in a coal mine.(They used canaries in the mines to tell if poisonous gases were escaping.If the bird stopped singing,it had died.Thus,nobody else should be whistling.)
Drink May rainwater. (and die of acid rain)	Don't count stars. (unless you have a really big calculator)
When sick, don't look in mirrors. (I look bad enough when I'm not sick,thank you very much)	Try not to imagine it's Saturday when it's not. (written with zombies in mind)
Never measure your own height. (maybe that's why some people think they're 10 feet tall and invincible)	Don't sing in bed. (I can't sing outta bed,either)
Don't count cars on a passenger train.(if you have on socks and shoes)	Sleeping with your head at the foot of the bed is surely fatal.(I wouldn't touch this one with a ten foot pole)
Never, never turn a loaf of bread upside down.(huh?)	Don't put two forks at one place setting. (written by the slob who doesn't sweep and most likely don't wash them dishes)
Be sure that someone else cooks your birthday dinner.(this I have to see)	Don't ever cross knives while setting the table.
Never return borrowed salt.(people never return anything so why bother with salt)	You mustn't write on the back of a dish.(how do you think Maudie gets them free dishes? )
Avoid drinking coffee at 5 o'clock. (and just how would I stay awake to write this nonsense of mine?)	Never serve 13 at a table. (I'll let you tell the 13th guest that)
Don't set the table backwards. (I'm still trying to figure out if the table or me shouldn't be backwards--will keep you posted)	Never set three lamps on a table at the same time.(this is for someone with not one wit of decoratin' sense)
Get up before sunrise on the first three mornings of May and cover your face with dew to be comely. (I'm not gittin' up at daylight to look like Cleopatra)	If a picture falls from the wall, don't pick it up. (let it join the dirt and everything else you ain't allowed to pick up)
Don't hang your sweetheart's picture upside-down. (hang him upside down instead when he acts ignert)	If you move out of a house, don't move back into it for a year. (the new tenants would appreciate that,too).
Don't move into an unfinished house. (it never gets finished 'cause you can't carry tools inside)	Avoid carrying axes, shovels, and other sharp-edged tools through a house; if you must take one inside, always take it out by the same door. (burglars could have told ya that)
Don't take ashes out of the fireplace or wood stove between Christmas and New Year's Day.(everyone should have a potato bed in the middle of the den carpet made out of ash.)	You mustn't cut a new window in an old house; the only way to avoid fatal consequences is to toss your apron through the new window, and climb through it yourself.(explain this to the police when they think you're a burglar)
Don't ever, ever rock an empty rocking chair. (if it's empty,it's not rockin',now is it?)	Never drive a nail after sunset. (your neighbors tryin' to watch TV thank you kindly)
Don't shake out a tablecloth after dark. (and remember not to sweep.Something tells me a slob invented this little jewel)	Don't hang a dishcloth on a doorknob. (the slob has reformed)
If you carry an acorn ,it will not only bring you good luck but will give you long life. (it will also give a squirrel a good reason to follow you around)	To cross your fingers served as protection and a sign of the cross that early Christians could use without attracting attention.
The first night you sleep under a new quilt,that dream will come true. (okay,so where's my money?)	Become good-looking by eating chicken hearts. (so that's what happened to me--no chicken hearts)
If you see a penny laying on the ground and it is heads up,you will have good luck if you pick it up. (unless a car is headed towards you at the time)	If your left hand itches,you're going to be rich. (or it caught whatever from the right hand itchin')
Use any found coins to buy lucky lottery tickets.(it takes luck to find coins in the first place,doesn't it?)	In the South,blackeye peas are eaten at midnight on New Year's Eve for good luck throughout the year. (if that's the truth,then I'll cook a 25 lb. bag this year)
If you are setting a hen and want pullets, carry the eggs to the nest in a women's bonnet;if you want roosters, carry the eggs to the nest in a man's hat.(in my day,unless you wanted a butt whupping,you'd ignore this)	If a stick breaks when you are passing through the woods, there are two ghosts arguing over you, saying they know you.(and here I was a thinkin'they were bill collectors)
When you first hear a whippoorwill in the year, lay down, make a wish and roll over three times and the wish will come true.(wouldn't this be a hoot if it happened at a business lunch?)	It is good luck for a buzzard to light on your house on Monday.(tell that to the Health Dept. when they come calling.)
If a left handed person squints, then he cannot be trusted.(what about those squinty-eyed right-handers?Jest askin')	To protect your house from lightning, gather hazel tree branches on Palm Sunday and keep them in water.
Add caraway seeds to chicken feed to keep poultry from wandering. Feed the seeds to homing pigeons to help them find their way back.(if they're homing pigeons,shouldn't they already know the way home?)

**Clothing**
If you wear black and white, you'll surely have a fight. If you wear white, you will always be pure. If you wear pink, you will stink. If you wear brown, you will wear crown. If you wear red and yellow, you will catch a fellow . If you wear green, you willl be forsaken. If you wear gray, you will pray. If you wear yellow, you will be jealous. If you wear blue, you will always be true. Don't store your shoes above your head. If a butterfly lights on your shoulder, you will secure a new dress which has the color of the butterfly. If you see a straw hat, stamp it for luck. If you see a straw hat, stamp it for luck. If the hem of your dress turns up when you put it on, good luck is coming to you. Never wear another's new clothes before they have worn them.(especially if it's Friday and you didn't bathe) If you are on a train when a woman boards, dressed in black, get off. (it could take a year to go ten miles based on this one) Don't walk around in one shoe. (why not?So far,you're a total mess and an extra shoe won't hurt) Always sew cross-stich on your underwear. (the underwear cops will nab ya if you disobey) Never hold a stick in your mouth while sewing. (what?sounds like the family dog is sewin') If you see a will-o'-wisp while out walking at night, turn your coat inside-out.(whoever came up with this one never lived in Texas--you'd be dead of heat stroke walkin' around in a coat). Don't make new clothes between Christmas and New Year's Day. If you cut out a new dress on Friday, you must finish it that same day. (you might as well since you can't take a trip or take a bath) You mustn't wash clothes on New Year Day. (No,I let the machine do the washing)

Plants and Gardening
**From the New Moon until the Full Sheen,**
**Sow afternoon, and it will be clean;**
**From the Full into the New Light,**
**Sow mornings, and it will not blight.**
Plant turnips on August 10	Always plant the seeds in the full of the moon and your vines will be full of beans.(or aphids,cutting worms,etc.,etc.,etc.,)
Plant onions on March 21	Carrots should be planted when peach trees are blooming.
Plant potatoes on Good Friday	Cucumber seed planted in the sign of the Twins will produce two cucumbers for every blossom.
Plant late potatoes in the last dark moon of June.	Cucumbers planted in the sign of the Cancer wil grow to vines and not bear.
Plant turnips on August 26th wet or dry.(are we talkin' before or after our bath?--okay--just askin')	Good days on which to plant Irish potatoes are the 17th and 18th of the month.
Beans planted in the morning will grow faster and mature sooner than beans planted in the afternoon.	If beans are planted in the sign of the Twins and during the light of the moon, they will not stop bearing until frost.
If beans are planted in the morning, they will do well.	If lettuce is planted in the light of the moon, it will grow to tops.
If the seeds are sown in the light of the moon, the turnips will be small.(you're going to get a visit from the cops I promise you with all this night time diggin' goin' on.)	If vegetables mature above ground, they must be planted in the light of the moon.
If vegetables have blossoms and fruit, plant the seeds in the full moon.	If you set out cabbage in the sign of the Twins, when you cut off a head another will grow in its place.(I do hope they're talking cabbage heads here.)
If you plant cabbage in the sign of the Twins, the heads will be twins; that is, not head properly.	If you plant cucumbers on the first three days of May, they will bear themselves to death.
If you plant cucumbers on the longest day of the year, insects wil not molest them.(This makes it sound like there's a grasshopper rapist lurking about.)	In provincial France, strawberries were regarded as an aphrodisiac. Newlyweds were served always served a cold strawberry soup. (I can just see the rush at the produce stand tomorrow)
In planting lettuce, say "Three seeds for the birds and three for myself."	Insects will eat up your cabbage, if it is hoed during dog days.(all those weeds won't exactly help it,either.)
It is very unlucky to have a head of cabbage in the house on New Year's Day.	Lettuce should be planted on the 4th of April.
Never plant beans when the sign is going down, or they will grow down instead of up.	On Halloween lay a head of cabbage on every front step that you want to have plenty.(or if you would like to see your neighbors go skidding down the steps.)
One of the best times to plant potatoes is on election day in the spring.(I'd like to plant a few of the politicans on that day,too.)	Peas will thrive, if they are planted on St. Patrick's Day.
Trees should be planted when the moon is old.(I thought the moon had been old for a few million years)	You will have splendid results, if you plant vines in the sign of the Cancer.
Don't ever hang your hoe on a tree branch.	If you transplant a cedar tree, you will die by the time it is big enough to shade a grave.The same is true of a willow tree .(now this is cheerful)
Don't skip a row when planting corn or beans.	Don't give a person a peony.
Don't ever carry a bouquet of wildflowers indoors before May 1.	Keep cut flowers out of bedrooms overnight.
Four leaf clovers are similar to a Christian cross and were treated with respect because of its unusual leaf.They were considered to be a tool against witchcraft.	Have you every eaten a double strawberry? Legend says that if you break the strawberry in half and share it with a member of the opposite sex, you will soon fall in love with each other.
In medieval Ireland, mushrooms were thought to be umbrellas for leprechauns.	The English believed mushrooms should be gathered under a full moon to be edible.
The ancient Egyptians considered mushrooms the sons of gods, sent to earth riding on bolts of thunder. (you eat the wrong kind and you'll see bolts of thunder)	It is good luck to plant cucumbers on May 1 before sunup.

**Animals and Insects**
Seeing a caterpillar will give you ague unless you spit.(you hit somebody when you spit and it will give you a busted nose,too)	Whatever you do, don't let a lizard count your teeth.(Now,this is a biggie)I didn't know a lizard could count.
If you hear a hen crow, you must kill the hen.(Think about this one!)	Never kill a lizard.(unless yer really strange and bored)
Never kill a locust. (no-just let it eat up your prize plants)	Don't even THINK of mocking an owl. (as if you run into an owl everyday--at least an owl won't shoot you)
When a bird flies inside a building, someone in the building will die.	A black cat walking towards you is a sign of good luck.(unless you fall down runnin' away from it)
If you eat chicken feet, you will become handsome. (there's gonna be a lot of ugly people I do believe)	Try not to kill a crow; but if you do, be sure to bury it while wearing black. (we all have a crow buryin' ensemble,now don't we?)
Never sell a dog. (I bet the people who breed dogs love this one)	If you hear a dog howl at night, reach under the bed and turn over a shoe. (or throw the shoe at the dog)
Bury animal bones or a picture of an animal near the doorway of your house to prevent ghosts from entering. (it will probably do a purty good job of keepin' yer friends from enterin' ,too. Not exactly a welcome mat)	Alligator feet and alligator teeth are regularly used in the South to increase gambling luck. (alligators aren't too thrilled with this practice.Nothin' sadder than a toothless gator)
Never carry a peacock's feather into a house. (the peacock shore thanks you)	Keep cats off piano keys. (unless it plays really well)
If a cat walks away from you,it takes the luck with it.(not if it takes the unwanted litter with it)	Only the left hind foot of the rabbit that is considered lucky and the bearer has to rub it to activate the luck. (as they say--it sure wasn't lucky for the rabbit)
A cat on board a ship is considered good luck.(in that case,all you single women need to take a litter on your next cruise)	A cricket in the house is good luck.(I'll admit I won't kill a cricket even if they drive me up the wall.)

**Hair**
A person with two crowns will meet death by drowning.(is that why so many shave their heads?)	Let a cat lick cow's cream off your face and you can grow a heavy beard.(geez !)
It birds make a nest with a man's combings, he will become bald.(yeah buddy--must be a lot of them nesting on people's heads)	If you throw your hair cuttings outdoors and birds make nests of them, you will have good luck.
If you boil a mole in an earthen pot and use this liquid when washing your hair, your hair will turn white.(aren't you glad you ran out of moles?)	Hairy legs are a token of wealth.(think I'll go find King Kong)
If one of your loose hairs falls over your nose, you will receive money unexpectedly.(pullin' it out yourself won't work--you'll just end up bald)	Hair should be cut during the change of the moon.
Finding a hair in your mouth means that you will kiss a fool.(been there ,done that)	Cutting your hair in the dark of the moon will make you bald.
A light-hair man is always conceited.

**Brooms**
Hitting someone with a broom means that he will go to jail before a week has passed. (there is something wrong here--why does the victim go to jail?)
Carrying a broom over your shoulder will give you bad luck.(wrecking the house could be called bad luck I guess)
Dropping a broom while sweeping is the sign of a new carpet.(go ahead--act like a klutz)
If you must borrow a broom, take it without the owner's knowledge, and you will not have bad luck. (no,you'll just be a thief)
Never sweep over a threshold or you sweep all the good luck out the door. (does anyone really think a foot of dirt greetin' ya at the front door is lucky?)
Carry a broom under your arm for luck. (of course,a lot of people will think you are ready for the rubber room)
Always pick up, for luck, a broom that is lying on the floor or ground. (and I thought that was to keep me from trippin' over it)
Sweeping under a sick person's bed will kill him or her.(probably all the piled up dust from the ashes and not sweeping would choke anyone to death)
Avoid sweeping after sundown. (I bet you know people who avoid sweeping anytime)
Never place a broom on a bed. (why not?you ain't usin' it)
Never take the broom along when you move or bad luck will follow.You must always buy a new one when you get there. (why?you can't seem to find time to sweep anyway)

**Weddings**
For each pearl that a bride wears, her husband will give her cause for weeping. (and since when does he need pearls for an excuse?) A woman who makes her own wedding dress will not live to wear it. (the way most of us sew,we'd die laughing) Married in gray, you'll go far away. Married in black, you'll wish yourself back. (bet your parents don't) Married in brown, you'll live out of town. Married in red you'll wish yourself dead. (sometimes the color don't matter) Married in pearl, you'll live in a whirl.(or a tornado got you) Married in green, ashamed to be seen. Married in yellow, jealous of your fellow. Married in blue, he'll always be true. (bring on the Rit Dye) Married in pink, your spirits will sink. Married in white, everything's right. Married in white, you've chosen all right. (somebody explain why all the divorces,then)
The bride is on the left side of the groom in Christian marriages so that the groom could have easy access to his sword to defend his bride from rival suitors.
The veil is to disguise the bride from evil spirits .(or the in-laws)
Dressing the bridesmaids is to fool the evil spirits--so they won't know who is the bride and who is not.
A week before the wedding, have a house-cat eat out of your left shoe for good luck.
Rain on your wedding day means you will have many children.
Superstition has it that if there is a full moon 1-2 days before the wedding, then your married life will be filled with luck and good fortune.
It is bad luck for the bride to remove her engagement ring before the day of her wedding.
The bride should step into the church with her right foot first to ensure good luck. Also, if she ever plans to remove her engagement and wedding rings without bringing bad luck, she must remove them both on her way down the aisle after exchanging vows.(gives the gossips something to yak about,too)
For good luck and a lifetime of pleasant relations with the bride's parents, it is tradition for the groom to honor his future mother-in-law with a diamond when he presents the engagement ring to his future bride.(now I wonder who made up this one?)
If you make a bedspread, make sure to finish it or marriage will never come to you.
I hate to bust your bubble,but the color of white for a wedding gown had nothing to do with virginity.To bleach material way back when was very expensive.To have the bride wear white was an early form of snobbery--as in,"Look how much more this dress cost".

**Holidays**
On Halloween,before sunset,if you walk around your house three times backwards,counter clockwise,it will ward off the evil spirits. (or this will sure entertain the neighbors watchin' from behind the curtains)
A spider seen on Halloween could be the spirit of a deceased lover watching you. (or a cheapskate scarin' off trick or treaters)
Ring a bell on Halloween to scare the evil spirits away. (come on and stop bein' cheap ---put the bell down and buy the kids some candy)
Some folks in the South open every door and window at the stroke of midnight to let out any remaining bad luck. They make a loud ruckus banging on pots and pans, setting off fireworks and take part in other noisy activities to chase it far away. (sounds like a typical Texan Saturday night)

Funerals


If a woman is buried in black,she will be back to haunt you. If any locks in the house were left locked,the soul of the deceased couldn't escape and go to heaven. Mirrors were covered when a death occurred because the person who sees his reflection would be the next to die. A dead person's eyes were closed because he could take someone with him if they were left open. If there is a clock in the room where someone dies,that clock must be stopped to prevent bad luck. If a screech owl calls three times,someone is going to die.To undo this spell,turn your pockets wrongside out. You must hold your breath while passing a cemetery or the spirits of a dead person will enter your body. A dog's howling near the house of a sick person could mean death was near. Dogs howling in the dark of night, Howl for death before daylight. It is bad luck to count the cars in a funeral procession. If you point at the funeral procession,you will die within a few months. If a death occurs on a Friday,there will be another death in the same family within a year. Never wear anything new to a funeral,in particular new shoes. If a non-working clock suddenly chimes,there will be a death in the family. Children should not pretend to have funerals. Don't ever try on a mourning veil. Always remove a dead body from a house feet first. Never ride in a hearse, unless you are the driver. Pull the shades in a room where a funeral service is taking place: if the sun hits a mourner's face, he is the next to die. When walking in a funeral procession, don't look backwards.(especially if you have two left feet) Never point at a grave. Try not to step across a grave. (the family would really appreciate that especially if you're clumsy) Never leave a grave open overnight. (the first step could be a real loo-loo) If a corpse lies unburied on Sunday, another in town will surely die soon. NEVER, EVER share a razor used by a dead man. (is that before or after they died?) A body should be buried so that it faces east. A flower taken from a grave will not grow. A person will go to hell, if it rains into his open grave. A person will go to heaven, if it rains on his corpse. As long as the funeral bill remains unpaid, the corpse will not rest in its grave. Crossing in front of a funeral procession will bring bad luck.(not to mention a few broken bones after they run over you) Expect a death in your family, if any vehicle connected with death stops in front of your house.(especially if you have a relative who is a rotten driver) If an undertaker leaves anything of his trade at the house and it remains there until after the funeral, someone in that family will soon die. Meeting a white chicken on your way to a funeral is an omen of bad luck.(now just how many white chickens are out there wandering around) When you hear the first dove in the spring, you have to get a lock of cat's hair, bury it, and dance on your heels around it three times. If you don't do this there will be a death in your family.(and if you do,the cat is gonna tear you a new one) Always pick all the beans out of your garden. If any of the old beans come up the next year, someone will die. Mon, 30 Oct 2000 From:Richer Residence have you ever heard the one... If a crow or black bird hits your window,that death will come after. Or is it a case that the bird needs glasses. I ask this since I personally have been hit by a bird while driving on my driver side window and my home bay window.

**Anniversary**
First: Cotton	Eleventh: Steel
Second: Paper	Twelfth: Silk and Fine Linen
Third: Leather	Thirteenth: Lace
Fourth: Fruit and Flowers	Fourteenth: Ivory
Fifth: Wooden	Fifteenth: Crystal
Sixth: Sugar	Twentieth: China
Seventh: Woolen	Twenty-Fifth: Silver
Eighth: Rubber	Thirtieth: Pearl
Ninth: Willow	Fortieth: Ruby
Tenth: Tin	Fiftieth: Golden Seventy-Fifth: Diamond

Superstitions Part II--Click here

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