How Superstitious Are You?

Marie Laveau's Tomb

Voodoo queen Marie Laveau's tomb is well-marked. People leave offerings at her gravesite, such as flowers, money, or other trinkets that they hope will appease her. Other people mark three XXX's on her tomb, thinking it will bring them luck. Maybe just a silly superstition, but couldn't that be said about most superstitions?

Superstitions have become commonplace in our culture.  In fact, some superstitions are such widely held beliefs that nearly everyone observes them.  For instance, the number 13 is commonly thought to be an unlucky number, so many hotels and tall buildings do not number the 13th floor.  They skip it and number the next floor 14.

Here are some more unusual superstitions (taken from David Pickering's Dictionary of Superstitions) that aren't so well known:

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  If your ear tingles, somewhere someone is talking about you.  If your right ear tingles, something good is being said; if it's the left, malicious gossip is the talk.

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  Putting a hat on backwards means you'll suffer bad luck.  It can only be reversed by going out and buying a new hat that day.

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  If a spider drops down from the ceiling onto your face, it's supposed to be lucky!  And if it runs across your clothes, it's a promise of new clothes.

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  Anyone who sees an ambulance should hold their breath and pinch their nose until the ambulance is out of sight.

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  Anyone who bites their tongue may be suspected of telling lies.