Death Superstitions

Superstitions about Death

BIRD	A bird in the house is a sign of a death.
	If a robin flies into a room through a window, death will shortly follow.
CANDLE	Light candles on the night after November 1. One for each deceased relative should be placed in the window in the room where death occurred.
CEMETERY	You must hold your breath while going past a cemetery or you will breathe in the spirit of someone who has recently died.
CLOCK	If a clock which has not been working suddenly chimes, there will be a death in the family.
	You will have bad luck if you do not stop the clock in the room where someone dies.
CORPSE	If a woman is buried in black, she will return to haunt the family.
	If a dead person's eyes are left open, he'll find someone to take with him.
	Mirrors in a house with a corpse should be covered or the person who sees himself will die next.
DOG	Dogs howling in the dark of night, Howl for death before daylight.
DREAMS	If you dream of death it's a sign of a birth, if you dream of birth, it's a sign of death.
	If you touch a loved one who has died, you won't have dreams about them
DYING	A person who dies on Good Friday will go right to heaven.
	A person who dies at midnight on Christmas Eve will go straight to heaven because the gates of heaven are open at that time.
	All windows should be opened at the moment of death so that the soul can leave.
	The soul of a dying person can't escape the body and go to heaven if any locks are locked in the house.
EYE	If the left eye twitches there will soon be a death in the family.
	If a dead person's eyes are left open, he'll find someone to take with him.
FUNERAL	Funerals on Friday portend another death in the family during the year.
	It's bad luck to count the cars in a funeral cortege.
	It's bad luck to meet a funeral procession head on.
	Thunder following a funeral means that the dead person's soul has reached heaven.
	Nothing new should be worn to a funeral, especially new shoes.
	Pointing at a funeral procession will cause you to die within the month
	Pregnant women should not attend funerals.
GRAVE	If the person buried lived a good life, flowers will grow on the grave. If the person was evil, weeds will grow.
MIRROR	If a mirror in the house falls and breaks by itself, someone in the house will die soon.
MOTH	A white moth inside the house or trying to enter the house means death.
PHOTOGRAPH	If 3 people are photographed together, the one in the middle will die first.
THIRTEEN	If 13 people sit down at a table to eat, one of them will die before the year is over.
UMBRELLA	Dropping an umbrella on the floor means that there will be a murder in the house.

Superstitions (old wives tales)

ACORN	An acorn should be carried to bring luck and ensure a long life.
	An acorn at the window will keep lightning out
AMBER	Amber beads, worn as a necklace, can protect against illness or cure colds.
AMBULANCE	Seeing an ambulance is very unlucky unless you pinch your nose or hold your breath until you see a black or a brown dog.
	Touch your toes Touch your nose Never go in one of those Until you see a dog.
APPLE	Think of five or six names of boys or girls you might marry, As you twist the stem of an apple, recite the names until the stem comes off. You will marry the person whose name you were saying when the stem fell off.
	An apple a day Keeps the doctor away.
	If you cut an apple in half and count how many seeds are inside, you will also know how many children you will have.
BABY	To predict the sex of a baby: Suspend a wedding band held by a piece of thread over the palm of the pregnant girl. If the ring swings in an oval or circular motion the baby will be a girl. If the ring swings in a straight line the baby will be a boy.
BASEBALL BAT	Spit on a new bat before using it for the first time to make it lucky
BED	It's bad luck to put a hat on a bed.
	If you make a bedspread, or a quilt, be sure to finish it or marriage will never come to you
	Placing a bed facing north and south brings misfortune.
	You must get out of bed on the same side that you get in or you will have bad luck.
	When making the bed, don't interrupt your work, or you will spend a restless night in it.
BEE	If a bee enters your home, it's a sign that you will soon have a visitor. If you kill the bee, you will have bad luck, or the visitor will be unpleasant.
	A swarm of bees settling on a roof is an omen that the house will burn down.
BELL	The sound of bells drives away demons because they're afraid of the loud noise.
	When a bell rings, a new angel has received his wings.
BIRD	A bird in the house is a sign of a death.
	If a robin flies into a room through a window, death will shortly follow.
BIRTH	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.
BIRTHDAY CAKE	If you blow out all the candles on your birthday cake with the first puff you will get your wish.
BLARNEY STONE	The Blarney Stone is a stone set in the wall of the Blarney Castle tower in the Irish village of Blarney. Kissing the stone is supposed to bring the kisser the gift of persuasive eloquence (blarney.)
BLUE	To protect yourself from witches, wear a blue bead.
	Touch blue And your wish Will come true.
BREAD	Before slicing a new loaf of bread, make the sign of the cross on it.
	A loaf of bread should never be turned upside down after a slice has been cut from it.