What Myths were we told when we were Children......

[MaineWriter]

Since it is Christmas and a day for giving presents...

It is bad luck to give someone a knife for a present, since it will sever the friendship. If you do insist on giving a knife, then you should tape a penny to the blade to counteract the bad luck.

L

[Shasta542]

Since it is Christmas and a day for giving presents...

It is bad luck to give someone a knife for a present, since it will sever the friendship. If you do insist on giving a knife, then you should tape a penny to the blade to counteract the bad luck.

L

Oh--that reminds me of the one brought up at wedding showers. The bride-to-be has to remove any ribbons without cutting or breaking them or it's bad luck for the marriage.

[delalluvia]

Oh--that reminds me of the one brought up at wedding showers. The bride-to-be has to remove any ribbons without cutting or breaking them or it's bad luck for the marriage.

Really?  OMGs how long traditions last!  I'm sure it's even older than this, but ancient Roman brides wore a girdle tied with a Hercules knot.  The groom had to untie it, not cut or break it.  It was meant to symbolize the strength of their union.

[Katie77]

Another present one.......

If you give someone a purse or a handbag, you should put a coin or some money in it..........if you give it empty, the presumption is it will always be empty.......

I can remember when I was a kid, even if you bought a  new purse or handbag, there was usually a penny coin inside.

[ifyoucantfixit]

       Wow I have never been a superstitious person.  But hearing all these things makes me wonder..I have
probably been on the wrong end of every one of them.
        My mothers father was superstitious about a ton of things.. but it was always just silly to me.  But you
are making me wonder.

[Lynne]

This is a great thread!  What a good idea!

My Grandma Mamie told me the one about 'A whistling girl and a crowing hen - both will come to some bad end.'

And in Tennessee it's black-eyed peas, turnip greens, and cornbread on New Year's Day for good luck and prosperity - never had the pork or hog jowls, tho - maybe some corned beef?  which I don't care for either.

What else?  If your ears are burning, someone is talking about you.

If you raise your feet for someone to sweep under them, you'll never get married. 

[jstephens9]

If your nose is itching, it means somebody is coming to see you.

[MaineWriter]

Itchy palms....

Itchy left palm, you are going to receive some money. Itchy right palm, you are going to lose some money.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Oh yes, definitely, and walking under a ladder is bad luck too in case nobody has mentioned that yet.

Ah, but there is a sort of historical basis in the notion of it being bad luck to walk under a ladder. Once upon a time, before trap-door gallows were invented, people were executed by hanging by being pushed off a ladder. The rope was attached to a beam, or sturdy tree limb, or something, and the condemned had a noose placed around the neck, and was pushed off a ladder by the executioner.

If memory serves, you can see a dramatization of this in Three Sovereigns for Sarah, a very good fact-based film about the Salem witch trials.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Another one I was told as a child, and still abide by it......

Is not to put shoes on the table.......supposed to be bad luck

I was told the same thing--it's bad luck--if you put a hat on the table.