33 Weird & Creepy Superstitions We Carry on Today

Heard of kissing beneath the mistletoe? Tossing a coin with a wish? Fearing number 13? You probably are nodding yes.

We live in a complex yet fascinating world, where knowing what exactly is reality is quite hard to decipher.

With half our brains wrapped in wacky superstitions, we believe in weird ideas whose origins can be definitely questioned but never challenged.

Let’s have a ride together across the strangest superstitions around the world.

1. Poor brides

Heard of the superstition surrounding wedding cake? In Roman times, the cake was baked with wheat, nuts, fruit, and honey as these ingredients were considered the symbols of wealth and fertility.

This was not a weird part, and the strange activity was the cake being broken over the bride’s head for ensuring fertile marriage. The disgust continued when guests used to pick up the crumbs of good destiny.

Another exciting superstition regarding cakes dates back to Tudor when a single-tiered cake was supposed to be cut by the bride else, and the marriage would suffer from childlessness.

2. Kidnapper Mermaids

The existence of mermaids in Zimbabwe is believed in, thus consequently the myths about them kidnapping people. But the victim’s family needs to be cautious not to shed tears for the disappearance, and else the mermaid will never return the victim.

3. Damaged soul

Breaking of a mirror will not only destroy the mirror but your future, says the superstition. You’ll serve seven unlucky years, according to Roman mythology.

These pioneers of glass mirrors also believed in a distorted reflection to be a sign of a damaged soul and bad luck. If you are a believer in this myth, then don’t worry. Seven long years will eventually end.

4. Save your status

There is local superstition prevalent in Italy, suggesting one should utter the same word as someone in unison. Consequence? One’ll never get married. But there is a hack to undo this curse, and one should immediately touch the nose.

5. Singing for the devil

Caution for people in the Netherlands: If you’re a singer, you need to zip up during your evening supper, as it symbolizes you were singing for the devil for food.

6. Secure marriage department

To all Hungarian and Russian: you surely don’t want to die all alone, without a partner. If so, don’t sit at the dining table’s corner because it will leave you barren in the marriage department.

7. The red color

Philippine superstition suggests during the storm, and one shouldn’t be wearing red. Else it’ll attract lightning.

8. Befriend this “word.”

An interesting belief in North America and Britain dates back to 600 B.C. encourages one to say “rabbit rabbit” or “white rabbit” on the first of every month to ensure good luck.

9. Spooky Graveyard hack

We’ve something spooky in here. Follow specific rules when passing through a cemetery in Japan. Apart from holding your break, hide your thumbs to protect your parents from death.

10. Saving yourself against death

Well, this superstition has been running in my family. But I never knew the reason until now. Interestingly, several cultures frown upon cutting the nails after sunset — according to the Japanese, it causes premature death.

11. Unfair Comparison

In turkey, chewing the gum at night relates to chewing the dead’s flesh. So beware!

12. Height genes are useless.

I have been growing up listening not to anyone. Never figured a reason, though. But this superstition is prevalent in Turkey, where jumping over the child means cursing one to be short forever.

13. Mirrors mirror on the wall

Putting two mirrors in from of each other means welcoming a devil, according to Mexican superstition.

14. Broomstick is not your friend.

Allowing a broom to touch your feet in Afghanistan relates to the death of one of your parents. So brooms should be at arm’s length.

15. Let the clock strike 12

I always wish people early on their birthday didn’t know Russians’ minds. Well, congratulating a birthday person before the accurate hour invites terrible luck.

16. Fascinating Pagpag tradition

Superstitions concerning graveyards always interest me, like this one.

According to the Philippines tradition, one must never go straight home after awake instead of stopping somewhere, be it a coffee shop or fast-food outlet, to shake an evil spirit.

Even once home, you need to change clothes outside to shut every possibility of spirit entering the house. This tradition has a name, “pagpag”.

17. Inviting evil

Live in Lithuania? Whistling is not a causal act rather a way of summoning demons.

18. Poor Owls

Even hearing an owl is considered a warning of terrible news in Egypt. Likewise, Italy also shares the same superstition where if an owl ends up in your house, it too signifies news, but this time of death, someone from the family will die soon.

19. Plan makeover strategically

Getting a haircut on Tuesday in India is an omen. So reconsider your options if you plan to get one when in this country.

20. Yellow is a dirty fellow.

If you have been thinking, like me, that any flower makes a perfect gift, then let me break this — we are wrong. In Russia, gifting yellow flowers is a sign of curing a person with infidelity. Ouch!

21. Spill it

This one is strange, and I don’t know if people still do it! Dripping water behind people in Serbia is considered to bring luck to them.

Thinking about logistics, I wonder what equipment people deploy to perform such an act — a water bottle is popping into my head.

22. You can become hairier

Rwandan women remain miles away from goat meat, for they fear eating it causes the growth of facial hair.

23. Warnings for pregnant women

Canadian superstition exists where pregnant women should be given fish cravings — at any cost, else the consequence is terrible of ending up with a fish head baby.

Another superstition exists in Korea regarding pregnant women were eating asymmetrical food means them having an ugly baby. They should thus never nibble unshaped food.

24. Don’t become a guider

Walking backward in Portugal is a huge superstition that signifies you are showing a way to the devil.

25. Cheering with water

Never cheer with water in Germany as it symbolizing you wishing death on the person drinking it. The idea dates back to Greek mythology.

26. Powerful protection

Back then, the holy stones were way more than just keyrings. Apart from the convenient way of tracking the keys, the sacred stones ensured prevention against evil spirits.

Similarly, hanging holed pebbles near the door was domes to restrict demons and witches’ entrance — so obedient of them, are not they? I wonder about the roots of such powerful protective elements.

27. Poop power

You might have considered dog poop as unlucky, but this means you have not visited France yet. Stepping on the poop with the left foot in France is deemed to be lucky, but the theory reverses if the foot had been right.

Similarly, you might consider it bad luck, but in Britain, the bird’s poop is actually considered as good luck.

No matter how many birds fly in the sky, the probability of getting blessed with a bird’s poop remains relatively low. Thus having graced by it with any chance makes you an ultimate lucky one.

28. Seeing a magpies

If you have a feeling, you’ll see a magpie alone, then close your eyes.

Because magpies have been sharing an association with death thus seeing the one alone will bring sorrow.

Instead, aim to see two for flipping the narrative. Seeing two magpies means good luck is in your way.

29. Putting New Shoes On The Table

Have you put new shoes on the table? If not, then you may try this superstitious whose history dates back to North England’s miner house.

When usually a miner used to die, then as a tribute, the family had their shoes placed on the table.

This tribute soon turned into practice which magically got a new meaning of a symbol of inviting fate. Like seriously? I didn’t quite get the transition.

30. Wishing well

I have seen several movies where a protagonist tosses a coin on the pond, mainly to attract a soulmate.

The practice is not limited to just movies, as you’ll clearly witness several modern coins at the bottom of famous pools. What’s the theory?

In old times, people believed deities and spirits lived in pools and wells, and the coins thrown were mainly offering to ensure success.

31. Malice stare

Irrespective of the culture, people around the world believe in the power of the evil eye.

That is simply to state some people can cause harm like ills, accidents, and death, just with a malice stare. Interestingly, in ancient times people could remedy their evil eye.

The ones thought to have an evil eye would glance at a tree or shrub first thing in the morning to ensure their evil eye wither.

Today several strange techniques are deployed, which, at least to me, makes little to no sense — for instance, wearing red thread, spitting, crossing fingers, carrying iron, etc.

32. Ladder story

Walking under a ladder is an omen, as it symbolized gallows where people got hanged.

You probably knew this one. But did you know this superstition dates back to the medieval era?

33. Wood knock

Did you know knocking on wood was seen as a cure to ward off bad luck? The residence of spirits in those woods is a prevalent notion spread by pagan worshippers.

Thus, by knocking, one, in essence, summons the spirits for protection.

Disclaimer: My original version of this story was published on another platform. Link to original version: https://medium.com/lessons-from-history/33-weird-creepy-superstitions-we-carry-on-today-7ac5cd0046c6