Are there any old family superstitions that you still observe?

[amcnj]

I remember hearing lots of these types of things as a kid. I don’t really recall any that my family adhered to, and thus I don’t today either.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

My mother used to insist on making black-eyed peas for good luck on New Year's eve/day. They were terrible! If there's a recipe for a tasty version, we didn't have it. Otherwise I think we're superstition-free.

I can top that, I think. On New Year's Day we had to eat Pepper Pot soup for good luck for the coming year. The main ingredient in Pepper Pot soup is tripe. God, I used to gag.

I just thought of another one we used to do at midnight on New year's Eve. We would exchange a dollar-so that in the coming year you'd never be broke. News flash: that didn't work.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Let’s see: there were specific days of the lunar calendar to cut your hair. I can’t remember how it worked so I don’t follow.

Never wear anyone else’s shoes or comb your hair with their tools. Yeah well I decided that the shoe prohibition was probably related to athletes foot, and hair comb to ringworm so I hold to that.

Be careful about eating outdoors. Okay, I adhere to that for my own reasons.

I seem to recall “roots” were at the bottom of most of the superstitions.

 

[TippyThomas]

There are a few that my parents did that I still do as a way to honor who they were and what they did for me. I'd have to get into religious discussion to explain them though, so I'll just leave it at that.

 

[NYCgrrl]

There are a few that my parents did that I still do as a way to honor who they were and what they did for me. I'd have to get into religious discussion to explain them though, so I'll just leave it at that.

There were religious superstitions on my end as well but I gave them up when organized religion and I came to a parting of the ways. Can’t recall which belonged to what religion or denomination except that the Catholics and Moravians seemed to have more than anyone else

 

[TippyThomas]

There were religious superstitions on my end as well but I gave them up when organized religion and I came to a parting of the ways. Can’t recall which belonged to what religion or denomination except that the Catholics and Moravians seemed to have more than anyone else

The ones I do are a lot more fun and not really rigid and strict. I do them just to remember my past and honor them for how much they did for me. If I had to get too darn religious to do them, I wouldn't.

 

[disneyseniors]

I can top that, I think. On New Year's Day we had to eat Pepper Pot soup for good luck for the coming year. The main ingredient in Pepper Pot soup is tripe. God, I used to gag.

I just thought of another one we used to do at midnight on New year's Eve. We would exchange a dollar-so that in the coming year you'd never be broke. News flash: that didn't work.

Oh that's funny, LOL.
Our families New Years tradition was to eat sour kraut and pork. I was told it was a German tradition passed down. I used to fix that every New Years but quit after a while. My Mom still has sour kraut and pork though. When we lived in the South, it was black eyed peas, and yes, they were "yuck" for me too. The Peper Pot is something I have never heard of. What nationality was it associated with??

 

[BlueStarryHat]

Oh that's funny, LOL.
Our families New Years tradition was to eat sour kraut and pork. I was told it was a German tradition passed down. I used to fix that every New Years but quit after a while. My Mom still has sour kraut and pork though. When we lived in the South, it was black eyed peas, and yes, they were "yuck" for me too. The Peper Pot is something I have never heard of. What nationality was it associated with??

Pepper Pot's origins are in Africa, and it was brought to Philadelphia by enslaved people. It's a Philly dish. I don't know if it's made in other parts of America. The broth was pretty good, but I had to eat some of the tripe, too-which was *terrible.*

 

[Simba's Mom]

My grandmother used to say that the first thing you're supposed to say on the first of the month is "rabbit" and that will bring you good luck all month. Although I'm the oldest one alive in my family, I try to remember to say it, just in case!

 

[Kim&Chris]

I have heard no money on the table.

If you are going to gift a wallet - put money in it.

If you gifting a knife/knives set, give money with it also (even if it's a dime).

If you drop oil, bad luck

I have heard urinate outside for NYE

Make lentils for NYE

Purse should not touch the floor,

The list goes on and on. Some interesting ones for sure.

As much as I try not to think about them, I don't like the bread upside down on the table - just a little OCD and needs to be put down properly. Definitely no shoes on the table....superstitious? Don't like them on the table?

The "no shoes on the table" thing pertained to buying new shoes and putting them on a table.

 

[starvenger]

We can't have chopsticks pointing at anyone at the table. Very challenging if we're at a restaurant with a lazy susan in the centre.

 

[NYCgrrl]

You know it’s so ingrained in my being that I forgot that the tradition of cleaning the house from top to bottom by New Year’s Eve, was based on family superstition.
I slacked off a bit when we lived in Manhattan because the apartment had two entrances at opposite ends of the house. Some years a small bag of dirty clothes were left at the service entrance with a note not to throw it away.
No need to do that anymore and besides only one entrance door, here.

 

[tennisfan]

Don't put new shoes on the table & if you gift a purse/wallet put money in for luck

 

[BlueStarryHat]

We can't have chopsticks pointing at anyone at the table. Very challenging if we're at a restaurant with a lazy susan in the centre.

I was just watching a YouTube video last night about what a foreigner visiting Japan should know so as to not make a social gaffe, and one of the firm suggestions was *never* point with your chopsticks. No bad luck associated with it-the Japanese just consider it rude.

 

[Moliphino]

Never wear anyone else’s shoes or comb your hair with their tools. Yeah well I decided that the shoe prohibition was probably related to athletes foot, and hair comb to ringworm so I hold to that.

I remember being told not to share hats or combs as a kid, mainly to avoid getting lice.

 

[starvenger]

I was just watching a YouTube video last night about what a foreigner visiting Japan should know so as to not make a social gaffe, and one of the firm suggestions was *never* point with your chopsticks. No bad luck associated with it-the Japanese just consider it rude.

Yeah that's definitely a faux pas. But I should have clarified as I specifically meant when your chopsticks are not being used. So you have them on your plate or they are the "community" chopsticks people use to get food.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Okay, I keep reading that putting new shoes on the table is considered bad luck
but but but why would you put shoes in any condition on the table?

 

[firefly_ris]

I was always told growing up never to make crab soup during a thunderstorm or it will spoil. So I don't.

 

[MICKIMINI]

There were religious superstitions on my end as well but I gave them up when organized religion and I came to a parting of the ways. Can’t recall which belonged to what religion or denomination except that the Catholics and Moravians seemed to have more than anyone else

I'm going to throw it out there anyway... In Catholic school in the 1960's I do remember hearing that just a few years prior, girls that would show up for anything ceremonial and were not wearing a dress to cover their legs would have to wrap them in toilet paper.

Incidentally, this is in NH where during the same era we were NOT allowed to wear ski pants when we went outside for recess under our required dresses. Didn't matter if it was below zero!

 

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

Okay, I keep reading that putting new shoes on the table is considered bad luck
but but but why would you put shoes in any condition on the table?

I always took it to mean new shoes in the box and bag like you might set any other bag down on the table when you get home from the store. Not that someone is actually putting the shoes on the table by themselves.

We have the one where when someone passes away you open a window in their house to let the soul leave. Especially if they pass at home.