Superstition facts for kids
A superstition is a belief that has no logical explanation or scientific evidence. There are many superstitions believed in around the world. Many people believe superstitions to be complete nonsense while others live their lives according to superstitions such as avoiding black cats, looking for four leaf clovers and avoiding mirrors.
Most superstitions arose over the course of centuries and are rooted in regional and historical circumstances, such as religious beliefs or the natural environment. For instance, geckos are believed to be of medicinal value in many Asian countries, including China.
In China, Feng shui is a belief system that different places have negative effects, e.g. that a room in the northwest corner of a house is "very bad". Similarly, the number 8 is a "lucky number" in China, so that it is more common than any other number in the Chinese housing market.
Contents
Animals
There are many different animals around the world that have been tied to superstitions. People in the West are familiar with the omen of a black cat crossing one's path. Locomotive engineers believe a hare crossing one's path is bad luck.
Numbers
Certain numbers hold significance for particular cultures and communities. It is common for buildings to omit certain floors on their elevator panels and there are specific terms for people with severe aversions to specific numbers, for example the number 13. In East Asian nations the digit 4 is avoided as its pronunciation is similar to the word 'death' or 'die'. A widespread superstition is fear of the number 666, given as the number of the beast in the biblical Book of Revelation.
Objects
There are many objects tied to superstitions. During the Great Depression, it was common for people to carry a rabbit's foot around with them. During the Coronavirus epidemic, people in parts of Indonesia made tetek melek, a traditional homemade mask made of coconut palm fronds, which was hung in doorways to keep occupants safe.
According to superstitions, breaking a mirror is said to bring seven years of bad luck. From ancient Rome to Northern India, mirrors have been handled with care, or sometimes avoided all together.
Horseshoes have long been considered lucky. Opinion is divided as to which way up the horseshoe ought to be nailed. Some say the ends should point up, so that the horseshoe catches the luck, and that the ends pointing down allow the good luck to be lost; others say they should point down, so that the luck is poured upon those entering the home. Superstitious sailors believe that nailing a horseshoe to the mast will help their vessel avoid storms.
In China, yarrow and tortoiseshell are considered lucky and brooms have a number of superstitions attached to them. It is considered bad luck to use a broom within three days of the new year as this will sweep away good luck.
Actions
Common actions in the West include not walking under a ladder, touching wood, throwing salt over one's shoulder, or not opening an umbrella inside. In China wearing certain colours is believed to bring luck.
Some superstitious actions have practical origins. Opening an umbrella inside in eighteenth-century London was a physical hazard, as umbrellas then were metal-spoked, clumsy spring mechanisms and a "veritable hazard to open indoors."
Another superstition with practical origins is the action of blowing briefly left and right before crossing rail tracks for safe travels as the person engaging in the action looks both ways.
Examples of superstitions
Good luck
- Crossing fingers for good luck
- Knocking three times on wood after mentioning good fortune
- Throwing a pinch of salt over the left shoulder after spilling salt
- A horseshoe hung above the doorway
- A four leaf clover
- Say white rabbit on the first day of each month.
- Itchy hand, you win money
Bad luck
- To break a mirror means 7 years bad luck
- Opening an umbrella inside the house
- Walking under a ladder
- Friday the 13th, the unluckiest day
- A bird in the house is a sign of a death
- To put new shoes on the table
Related pages
- Apotropaism, a ritual to turn away evil
- Amulet, a charm against bad luck
Images for kids
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Clay hamsa on a wall, etched with the Hebrew word for "good luck", believed to protect the inhabitants of the house from harm
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Some cultures consider black cats to signify good or bad luck
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Examples of superstitions and taboos from a November 1941 issue of Weird Tales'
See also
In Spanish: Superstición para niños
