17 Strange Superstitions From Around the World

1. In Japan, some people hide their thumbs when passing a graveyard. Why? The Japanese word for thumb translates to “parent-finger.” Hiding your thumb meant you were protecting your parents from death.

2. A German superstition states that if you cheers with a glass of water, you’re secretly wishing that they will die. You also have to make eye contact while you cheers or you’ll be doomed to have several years of bad sex.

3. Oh wow! What a beautiful bouquet of yellow flowers. Not in Russia. Some believe that yellow flowers mean you are putting an infidelity curse on the floral recipient.

4. If you give anyone something sharp as a present, be sure to include a coin or two. The sharp blade supposedly severs the relationship while the money pulls it back together. Similarly, if you gift someone a wallet, you should put some money inside. Otherwise you’re dooming that person to a life of poverty.

5. Saying “Happy Birthday” or celebrating a birthday before the actual day is bad luck.

6. Don’t stick chopsticks straight up in your food. They are believed to look like incense sticks used at funerals and the number four – an unlucky number in Japan.

7. In Korea, some pregnant women stay away from oddly shaped food. They believe that their kid will end up being ugly and oddly shaped.

8. Pagpag is a Filipino belief that if you head home right after a funeral or wake a bad spirit could follow you home.

9. Some women in Rwanda won’t eat goat meat. The belief is that goat meat causes facial hair growth.

10. A Japanese superstition wants you to avoid sleeping with your head facing North. Apparently, that’s how the dead get laid to rest. The same superstition applies to parts of Africa except they don’t want you facing West.

11. Don’t sing at the table in the Netherland. Why? Some think that you’re singing to the devil for your food.

12. Some folks in Iceland believe that knitting outside means that you will prolong the cold winter weather.

13. In Lithuania, it’s forbidden to whistle indoors. The high-pitched sound is said to summon demons.

14. Brides in Ireland have worn bells on their wedding dresses to ward off evil spirits trying to ruin their marriage.

15. Don’t put your shoes on the table or you will kill your Uncle Bob. Placing shoes on the table used to be how you would let your family know that the shoe owner had died.

16. Don’t put two mirrors opposite of each other. The reflection loop is thought to open a doorway to Hell.

17. Owls are bad omens. They represent bad news coming in an Egyptian superstition and in Italy, an owl at your house means a family member is about to kick it.