There seems to be a lot of variations on this superstition, but the idea of having an itchy palm generally refers to someone who is greedy or has an insatiable desire for money. Some people believe that if the right palm itches, you will lose money, while an itchy left palm means that money is ...
Though the origin of wishing over a four-leaf clover is lost to antiquity it has long been a symbol of good luck and fortune. It has also been used in some traditions for finding a husband or a wife. The way this works (for you single people) is by first finding a four leaf clover (good luck with ...
For many; saying "God Bless You" after someone sneezes is a gesture of politeness. However, the origin to such formality finds its roots in Pope Gregory the Great who would say it to people who sneezed during a bubonic plague; and from the erroneous belief that the soul escapes the body during a ...
Knocking on wood, or simply saying "knock on wood" after making a hopeful statement, finds it's roots in the idea that you're tempting fate by acknowledging your good fortune. It's believed that the expression comes from an ancient belief that good spirits lived in trees, so by knocking on ...
According to superstition, if you open an umbrella indoors you are literally asking for bad luck to "rain on you". One explanation comes from the days when umbrellas were used as protection from the sun; opening one inside was an insult to the sun god who would then curse you with bad luck. Another ...
The superstition involving wishing on the first star you see in the evening is somewhat uncertain, however Europeans believed that the gods would occasionally peer down, and when they moved the sky, a star would escape and fall down. The Greeks also believed that the stars where falling human ...
When photography was first invented in the early 19th century, people all over the world held the unfounded belief that taking someone's picture was akin to taking his soul. Thus if an enemy was able to obtain a photograph of you, he not only held your soul but also held a spiritual power over you.
To cross one's fingers is a hand gesture commonly used for good luck. Which makes sense since it was used during ancient Christian persecution by believers to identify other believers as a sign of peace. Today however, this has evolved to excuse the telling of a white lies which may have its roots ...
