Superstitions

If you pluck a gray hair...

7 will grow in its place.

Breaking A Mirror Superstition

If you break a mirror, you lose your soul.

Ladder

In ancient times, triangles were sacred, and a ladder against a wall or standing alone on the floor created a triangular shape. The Egyptians believed that the space between the ladder and the wall was home to good and evil spirits. If disturbed, the spirits would be angered, so it was forbidden for anyone to walk beneath a ladder. There are other theories. Do you know them?

Eating grapes on New Year's Eve

Instead of counting down to the new year and clinking Champagne flutes, Spaniards traditionally stuff 12 grapes into their mouths at the stroke of midnight. The 12 grapes represent the 12 months of the year, and the Spanish tradition is meant to bring good luck in the new year.

Knocking on/Touching Wood

One explanation states that the tradition derived from the Pagans who thought that trees were homes to fairies, spirits, dryads and many other mystical creatures. In these instances, people might knock on or touch wood to request good luck, or to distract spirits with evil intentions. People believed gods lived in trees because of the sounds made inside of them. The noise produced was actually insects eating the wood.

Ravens

Ravens were said to have predicted death because they swarm over graveyards and cemeteries. Truly, they actually can be very tame; they were said to have helped the Vikings predict land.

Number 4

Some people in China will avoid anything having to do with the number four. Why the number four, specifically? The pronunciation of "four" in Chinese is similar to the word for "death." Unsurprisingly, this makes many people believe that the number four is a sign of bad luck.

If you swallow an apple seed...

an apple tree will grow in your stomach.

If you find an eyelash...

any wish you make will come true.

If you leave your purse on the floor...

money will leave you soon. Placing your wallet or purse on the ground in Brazil is said to bring bad financial luck. This superstition is also popular in other South American countries, as well as the Philippines. Similarly, people in China commonly use the phrase that translates to "a purse on the floor is money out the door," to warn against not valuing wealth. It may stem from the idea that putting money on the ground — the lowest point — could look careless or disrespectful.

Salt

The widespread superstition that spilling salt brings bad luck is believed to have originated with the overturned salt cellar in front of Judas Iscariot at the Last Supper, an incident immortalized in Leonardo Da Vinci's famous painting. In many religious practices and cultures, salt signifies preservation and the binding of a spiritual covenant. The use of salt in rituals, like sprinkling during ceremonies or forming protective barriers, showcases its significance in warding off negative energies and evil spirits.

If you cut your baby's hair before its first birthday...

he or she will go bald later in life.

If it is your first time playing a game...

you will have beginner's luck.

If you find a penny and pick it up...

the rest of the day you'll have good luck. Finding a penny on the ground, especially if it is heads facing up, is considered a sign of good luck in the US. People often use the saying "find a penny, pick it up, and all day long you'll have good luck." It's apparently even luckier to find a penny stamped with the year of your birth or anniversary.

If you say "break a leg" to someone before a performance...

they will have a great performance.

If you say "good luck" to someone before a performance...

they will have a terrible performance.

If you catch a bouquet at a wedding...

you will be the next one to get married.

If you step on a crack...

you will break your mother's back.

If you wear pearls on your wedding day...

you will have an unhappy marriage.

If a black cat crosses your path...

you will have bad luck. That is derived from European folklore claiming that a black cat crossing one's path by moonlight often signified death by epidemic.