SUNDAY MORNING SUPERSTITIONS. TRADITIONS, ANECDOTES

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3On2kceqWM

Kevin Chesney and Willie Nelson - "Lucky Old Sun"

Good Morning and welcome to Sunday - another sleepless and thoughtful night is the prompt behind this blog.  My life is good and I "thank my lucky stars" for that and I got to thinking about the things we say and do that have significance in relation to superstitions, traditions, anecdotes and that make up part of who we are.

At dinner on Friday - Naomi and Alexis bought Nick a beautiful Chef's knife and he was thrilled and I was surprised to hear both of my daughters say to Nick - you have to pay for it and  the superstition is that the friendship will be severed if it is not bought.   Of course Nick paid up the 20 cents and delighted in his gift.  It got me thinking though -that they must have got that from me and what other superstitions have I passed on to my daughters?

I didn't think I was very superstitious at all but on reflection there are several that are part of my life and now in turn are part of Rebecca's and Naomi's life.

• The paying for a knife or other sharp implement.
• New Shoes on the table
• Hats on beds
• Bless you when someone sneezes
• You never tickeled a baby's feet because it would make it stutter.
• If you spilled some salt, you picked some of it up and threw it over your left shoulder to stop bad luck from coming.
• Clover - To find a four leaf clover means immense good luck, so keep it safe, if you lose it then you also lose the luck!
• Our family tradition holds that bad things always come in threes
• To give someone a purse or wallet without money in it will bring that person bad luck 

I am guessing I got these from my Parents and Grandparents - and so the tradition goes on.

There are lots of others and lots of little rhymes we all seem to know that are part of folklore and tradition so I researched some of them and below is just a short selection of them.   It depends where you are in the world what your traditions are and I would love for you to leave a comment with some details of something that is special in your little corner of the world.

New clothes at Easter - always had them as a child and loved them

To cure a sty, rub it with a gold wedding band   

When your palm itches, you will come into some money

If your ears itch or burn, someone is talking about you.

If you spilled some salt, you picked some of it up and threw it over your left shoulder to stop bad luck from coming.

A ring around the moon means that rain will come in three days.

Cat washing behind it's ears means rain

CHIMNEY SWEEP

  These are regarded as very lucky - so if you see one then shake his hand so that some of his good luck rubs off onto you! (particularly lucky for a Bride to see a Chimney Sweep)

AMBULANCE

Seeing an ambulance is very unlucky unless you pinch your nose or hold your breath until you see a black or a brown dog.

 

Touch your toes

Touch your nose

Never go in one of those

Until you see a dog.

I can recall reciting a similar sort of rhyme as a child:

Touch your collar
Touch your nose
Never go in one of those.

BABY

To predict the sex of a baby: Suspend a wedding band held by a piece of thread over the palm of the pregnant girl. If the ring swings in an oval or circular motion the baby will be a girl. If the ring swings in a straight line the baby will be a boy.

BIRTH

Monday's child is fair of face; 

Tuesday's child is full of grace; 

Wednesday's child is full of woe; 

Thursday's child has far to go; 

Friday's child is loving and giving; 

Saturday's child works hard for a living. 

But the child that is born on the Sabbath day 

is fair and wise, good and gay

BIRTHDAY CAKE

If you blow out all the candles on your birthday cake with the first puff you will get your wish.
You should not let the knife touch the bottom when cutting the cake or you don't get your wish.

CHILL

If you get a chill up your back or goosebumps, it means that someone is walking over your grave.

FOOT

If the bottom of your right foot itches, you are going to take a trip.

SINGING

If you sing before seven, you will cry before eleven.

SNEEZE

Place a hand in front of your mouth when sneezing. Your soul may escape otherwise.

 The devil can enter your body when you sneeze. 

Having someone say, "God bless you," drives the devil away.'

 If you sneeze on a Monday, you sneeze for danger; 

Sneeze on a Tuesday, kiss a stranger; 

Sneeze on a Wednesday, sneeze for a letter; 

Sneeze on a Thursday, something better; 

Sneeze on a Friday, sneeze for sorrow; 

Sneeze on a Saturday, see your sweetheart tomorrow. 

Sneeze on a Sunday, and the devil will have domination over you all week.

 One for sorrow

Two for joy

Three for a letter

Four for a boy. 

Five for silver

Six for gold

Seven for a secret, never to be told

(another version of this is:

One's a wish

Two's a kiss

Three's a letter

Four is something better)

STARS

All wishes on shooting stars come true.

 Star light, star bright 

First star I see tonight, 

I wish I may, I wish I might 

Have the wish I wish tonight.

WEATHER

Red sky at night, 

Sailor's delight. 

Red sky at morning

Sailors take warning

 Rain, rain, go away, 

Come again another day. 

Rain on the green grass

Rain on the hillside, 

But not on me.

FOR A LUCKY BRIDE

Something old, 

Something new, 

Something borrowed, 

Something blue, 

And a lucky sixpence 

In her shoe.

 

Married in White, you have chosen right

Married in Grey, you will go far away, 

Married in Black, you will wish yourself back, 

Married in Red, you will wish yourself dead, 

Married in Green, ashamed to be seen, 

Married in Blue, you will always be true, 

Married in Pearl, you will live in a whirl, 

Married in Yellow, ashamed of your fellow, 

Married in Brown, you will live in the town, 

Married in Pink, you spirit will sink.

WEDDING DAY 

Good Omens:

seeing a rainbow

having the sun shine

meeting a black cat

meeting a chimney sweep

a rolling pin (often tied with ribbon and presented to the Bride)

WEDDING CAKE

If a single woman sleeps with a piece of wedding cake under her pillow, she will dream of her future husband.

It's bad luck to pass someone in the stairs.

Never step on a person's shadow, as you are stepping on her/his spirit.

These are things that are passed down through the years and bring character to our lives, but how much truth is there I don't know - I just keep doing the things and life goes on and I keep saying the little rhymes so much so that it is part of my life and I love it all.

It is Sunday and " Sunday's child is fair of Face" and I was born on a Sunday so accept that quite readily.

Wherever you are on this Sunday - be at peace and find joy in the memories of the people who have been or still are in your life,  who nurtured you and entrusted these traditions to you.  Teach your children "Starlight, Star bright" and the joys of "Red sky at night" and don't be too cross when the pillow your daughter sleeps on is all messy from wedding cake, or the children won't step on cracks in the footpath.

Whenever there was a new moon I can recall my Father saying "Turn your money over" and being a man of the sea there were lots of traditions he held firm to - boats were never re-named and bananas never carried on board.  I wish he were here to tell me the others.  Perhaps you know some of them.

Enjoy this Sunday and enjoy the traditions that make up your family and it's history, be happy, be kind and be loving with one another.   Hope and pray, smile and sing and thank you for visiting and reading "The Musings of My Heart"

Love and hugs,