Four, in China, sounds similar to the character used for death. Four is a popular omen; people will avoid having children, getting married, or having big trips on days ending in that number.

24. Avoid the number four.

If you have butterfingers, don’t fret. While it may seem it would cause a bigger mess, throw the spilled salt over your shoulder to get some good fortune on your side.

28. Throw salt over your shoulder if you spill it.

According to Argentinian legend, there’s a superstition that the seventh son will turn into a werewolf... unless the president of the country adopts them, of course.

15. Don’t have seven children.

A fairly universal superstition, it is bad luck to open an umbrella before you head outside because bad luck will “rain” on you. This came from the British in the 18th century when waterproof umbrellas were told to cause injury if opened inside the home.

19. Don’t open umbrellas inside.

You think jumping over your six-year-old nephew will make you a big hit at the family reunion, but all you will do, according to Turkish superstition, is curse the child to be short forever.

53. Don’t jump over kids.

Many cultures believe that cutting your nails after sundown is a big taboo. One Japanese superstition believes that it causes premature death.

52. Don’t trim your nails at night.

This superstition dates back to medieval Europe: walking under the ladder symbolizes the gallows and death.

40. Don’t walk under a ladder.

In Lithuania, it is forbidden to whistle indoors, because the noise is believed to summon demons.

6. Whistling indoors invites evil.

In China and Japan, poking your chopsticks straight down into your food is a huge taboo. Not only is it rude, but it makes the utensils look like incense sticks that are used at funerals. Sticking your chopsticks down into your bowl invites death, so make sure to be mindful of how they are placed.

5. Never stick your chopsticks straight up.

In the Philippines, people believe that red attracts lightning. So if you don’t want a nasty surprise on a rainy day, make sure to stay away from this bold shade.

43. Don’t wear red during a storm.

Placing empty bottles on the ground is considered good luck in Russia, so don’t be shy about leaving your empty beer bottles on the ground when you’re done with them.

27. Don’t put empty bottles on the ground.

Thirteen to a table is similar to the ratio in The Last Supper, and we all know how well that story went for all of its dinner guests.

50. Never sit with 13 people at a table.

Spilling water behind someone, in Serbia, actually brings them a lot of good luck! People will often spill water behind a loved one who is about to go on a long trip or a job interview to wish them luck.

23. Spill a lot of water.

Yellow flowers in Russia symbolize death, separation, and infidelity. So avoid these flowers like the plague if you want to make a good impression on someone for a first date.

25. Don’t give someone you like yellow flowers.

In some coastal regions of China, it is bad luck to flip over a cooked fish, as many believe this will lead to a ship capsizing. Instead, many families will use chopsticks to pick the meat from the bottom of the fish when they are finished with the top.

10. Don’t flip over a cooked fish.

Not only is it gross, but in Britain it is considered bad luck because it symbolizes the death of a loved one.

8. Keep your shoes off the table.

In India, it is bad luck to sneeze only once — that’s why you should force a second one.

47. Don’t just sneeze once.

In Latvia, it is bad luck to return home for something you forgot, so if you forgot your keys at home, tough luck! You can look into your mirror before you leave to neutralize the bad omens.

46. Don’t return home for something you forgot.

There’s a superstition in Egypt that if you see or hear an owl, terrible news is coming. They also bring death if you bring them into your home.

35. Owls are bad luck.

If you do, you will curse your baby to a lifetime of drooling.

54. Don’t kiss babies on the lips.

According to Japanese superstition, sleeping with your head in this direction is bad luck because that’s how the deceased are laid to rest.

30. Don’t sleep with your head facing north.

Singing in the Netherlands during dinner means that you are singing to the devil and praising him for your food.

17. Don’t sing at the dinner table.

You might’ve heard this after an unfortunate picnic date, but a bird pooping on you actually will bring you good luck.

34. Bird poop brings good luck.

In the Philippines, you usually make a pitstop after a wake to “shake off” the bad spirit, whether that be a fast food place or even just a coffee shop. The idea is that you need to keep the bad spirits away from your house and that you can’t let it come in.

4. Don’t go home right after a wake.

In Hungary and Russia, sitting at the corner of a table will mean bad things for your romantic life. The unlucky person who comes in late and has to squeeze into the side, according to superstition, will never get married.

14. Don't sit at a table corner.

In Spain and in other Spanish-speaking countries, it is Tuesday the 13th, not Friday the 13th, that gets people nervous. Martes, or Tuesday in Spanish, comes from the Roman god of war Mars, which ties the day to violence, death, and bloodshed.

13. Tuesday the 13th, not Friday the 13th, is bad luck

In Afghanistan, according to Tor Khan from Bethesda, MD, if you sweep the floor and your broom touches the feet of a loved one, one of your parents will die.

3. Never allow the broom to touch the feet of anyone you know.

More vulgar than superstitious, in Sweden people don’t put their keys on the table. That’s because, during the olden days, sex workers would put keys on the table in public areas to attract clients.

12. Don’t put your keys on the table.

In South Korea, many will not sleep in a closed room with a fan on. It is commonly believed that prolonged exposure to a running fan will cause hypothermia and asphyxiation.

26. Don't sleep in a room with a running fan.

While we have to worry about cracks breaking our mother’s backs, in Sweden, the thing to look out for is manholes. If you step on one with a letter A, this will bring you a broken heart, a much deeper pain as we all know.

51. Don’t step on a manhole cover.

Want to start your morning off right? When making your cup of morning coffee, put your sugar in before your coffee to get your daily dose of good luck.

60. Add your sugar before your coffee.

In Italy, it is considered bad luck to put bread upside down, either on a table or a basket. The most popular explanation is that the bread represents the body of Christ, and so it needs to be treated with respect.

11. Don’t place bread upside down.

We usually say “knock on wood” to ward off bad luck, but this very popular saying is said to have originated in Europe. Many churches claimed to have pieces of Jesus’ cross, so knocking on wood is said to bring good luck.

21. Knock on wood for good luck.

To me, there’s nothing creepier than a mirror, or your own reflection for that matter. According to Joshua Partlow, "Washington Post" Mexico bureau chief, putting two in front of each other opens a threshold for the devil.

1. Never place two mirrors opposite of one another.

Don’t give something sharp to someone you are trying to start a relationship with. But if you do receive a knife set or scissors as a present, give the gift-giver a coin as a present in return.

29. Give a penny if you’ve received something sharp.

In Africa, the same superstition exists if you sleep with your head facing west.

31. Avoid sleeping with your head to the west.

Whether it be a major surgery or a routine checkup, going to the hospital on a Wednesday means good luck and good health.

42. Go to the hospital on Wednesdays.

There’s a Canadian superstition that expectant mothers who crave fish but don’t eat it will end up having a baby with a fish head. So, make sure not to deny your body what it wants.

39. Pregnant women should give into their cravings.

Not only is it a lame gift (well, actually, depends on the clock), but according to Chinese culture, the phrase to describe giving a clock has a similar pronunciation to the phrase of attending someone’s funeral.

59. Don’t give clocks as gifts.

Irish brides wear bells on their wedding dresses to ward off evil spirits that try to ruin their special day. Better hope that slim a-line dress can fit over 50 discrete wedding bells!

16. Wear a lot of bells on your wedding day.

If you’re in Iceland, keep the knitting inside, unless you like the cold weather. There’s a superstition that doing your needlework on your front porch will keep the temperatures freezing.

36. Knitting outside can bring longer winters.

Don’t idly play with scissors or it will bring bad luck, according to Egyptian folklore.

32. Don’t play with scissors.

In the Middle Ages, people believed that black cats were witches. Even worse, people thought that these cats could turn their owners into demons after seven years.

45. Black cats are bad luck.

In Japan, it’s common practice to tuck your thumbs in when passing by graveyards to protect your parents. This is because the Japanese word for thumb loosely translates to “parent-finger,” so hiding it protects them from death.

20. Hide your thumbs when passing a graveyard.

Getting a haircut on Tuesdays in India will cause bad luck.

38. Don’t get a haircut on a Tuesday.

Many call superstitions an irrational belief of the supernatural, actions that stem from ignorance or fear of the unknown. But these “irrational” acts are actually more normal than you may think.

60 Common Superstitions That People Around The World Believe

Want to be young forever? Many women in Ancient Britain kept acorns in their pockets to ensure a forever youthful complexion.

56. Carry an acorn to gain immortality.

In Spain, walking into a room with your left foot will bring you bad luck. Instead, lead with your right foot.

18. Don’t enter a room with your left foot.

In the United States, some believe that if something terrible happens to you, the terrible thing will happen to you two more times. Make sure to keep an eye out.

48. Bad things happen in threes.

Fishermen don’t bring bananas on boats, as it brings bad luck out on the open seas.

55. Keep your bananas off a cruise ship.

In Turkey, an itchy right-hand means you will come into some money, while an itchy left hand means you’ll lose out big time.

9. An itchy hand might be telling of your financial future.

Sometimes, when you’re designated driver, it is necessary to cheers with a cup of free tap water. But in Germany, if you cheer with water, you are actually wishing death on the people you are drinking with.

7. Don’t 'cheers' with water.

Superstitions give their believers a sense of security: carrying charms, wearing certain clothes, visiting places associated with good fortune, preferring certain colors over others, and favoring a certain number are all examples of how superstitions make us feel safe.Superstitions are everywhere, whether we realize it or not. They help us feel secure in a risky decision, or they might even encourage you to make an impulsive choice. No matter what, these little habits we practice in our everyday lives are here to stay. Here are 60 common superstitions around the world that people believe.

Security in Certainty

When you chew gum at night, according to Turkish legend, it turns into the flesh of the dead.

22. Don’t chew gum at night.

It might seem gross or unlucky, but stepping in dog poop is actually considered good luck in France if you do it with your left foot.

33. Step in dog poop with your left foot.

Syria banned yo-yos because they are believed to cause droughts.

37. Don’t play with yo-yos.

In Thailand, you shouldn’t comment on a person’s cute baby, as many families believe it will take the beauty away.

49. Don’t comment on a particularly cute baby.

In Brazil, people believe that if you put your purse on the ground, you will become penniless. Better work out those arms, because you can't let that tote rest on the floor for even a second.

57. Don’t let your purse touch the ground.

In Cuba, if you declare that it’s your last drink of the night, some believe that you are tempting fate and that it will truly be your last drink of the night, and forever. Don’t tempt fate! A common way to mitigate this is to knock on wood after you say a particularly daring statement.

58. Don't announce your last drink of the evening.

In many cultures, a horseshoe is an incredibly lucky symbol. If you find one with the open end pointing towards you, you will have an especially great day.

44. A horseshoe is good luck.

Everyone has common superstitions or little rituals they do to feel safe or to take back a sense of control. Superstitions are the general belief in supernatural forces; these stem from a desire to influence unpredictable factors.While many superstitions stem from an individual’s own experience and beliefs, superstitions also find deep roots in culture and tradition.For example, psychologists have actually found that during periods of deep uncertainty, people turn towards superstitions to reduce stress and anxiety.

What are common superstitions and why do people believe them?

In Moscow, if you kiss or shake hands with someone across a doorway, across two different rooms, then your lover or friend will become your mortal enemy.

2. Never shake hands or kiss across a threshold.

Full Moons, other than their obvious associations with werewolves, bring bad luck, especially near hospitals.

41. Be careful of Full Moons.

60 Common Superstitions From Around The World

Here Is A List Of Superstitions Around The World That People Still Believe, Revealing That We Are All Superstitious In Our Own Way.

What are common superstitions and why do people believe them?

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