Happy Halloween! We are all familiar with the perceived unluckiness of the number 13, (most high-rise buildings don’t even have a 13th floor), or opening an umbrella indoors so in honor of this celebrated day I researched some lesser known superstitions related to the home found throughout the world…
Belarus:
Do not clean your house when someone departs on a journey until that person arrives at their destination. I hope it’s not going to be too long of a trip those dishes could really pile up!
Belgium:
Do not sweep dirt out of your home (you may be sweeping out luck).
China:
One of the most important features of a home for the superstitious Chinese is the entrance way. Any objects in front of the homes entrance such as a tree for example are said to block the entrance of Chi, or positive energy, into the home.
Another important feature is an entrance way on the homes left side with a curved path leading up to it as straight paths are believed to lead evil spirits directly into the home.
Homes with a backdoor directly in line with the front door are bad luck.
Another avoidable feature is staircases that lead right out the front door. It is said that residents will have their fortunes go down the staircase and right out the front door if this is the home layout they live in, especially if an upstairs room has its door open directly in front of the staircase.
Twisting staircases are also unfavorable because they are said to cause Chi to spin, resulting in the creation of negative energy.
A property with its front facing north is bad luck.
Unlucky house Numbers are one that contains the following values; 0, 4, 5 and 6.
Croatia:
In the same room do not open two opposing windows at the same time.
Greece:
The pomegranate is a symbol of happy times, fertility and prosperity in Greek folklore, and in some parts of Greece people take a pomegranate with them when they visit people on New Year’s Eve and smash it on the threshold, so that the household will have good luck and prosperity in the coming year. I do believe this would stain my bluestone and would be quite upset!
No Greek home would be complete without at least one cactus positioned somewhere near the front entrance. In a big ‘feta’ can or garden pot, a cactus with its thorny spikes, takes its place proudly warding off the evil eye from the property. (Opposite of how the Hungarians feel!).
Hungary:
Do not have a cactus as a house plant it is unlucky. (See Greece if you like cacti)
Iceland:
It’s good to move on a rainy day.
India:
If somebody is leaving home for the day’s work and you sneeze thrice, it’s a bad omen.
Italy:
A bird entering your house is bad luck. I think that’s a no brainer!
Japan:
Do not clean your house on New Year’s Day however if you clean your bathroom on any other given day you will have a beautiful baby!
Latin Countries:
A full glass of water placed behind the door absorbs bad spirits.
Mexico:
Don’t have the foot of your bed point toward the door or you’ll welcome in death.
If an owl visits you at home is an indicator there is someone trying to do you harm.
Middle East:
Choose which step to enter a home with very carefully! It is believed that entering a new home with the right foot brings good luck and blesses the new premises; whereas bathrooms should be entered using the left foot or else bad things will happen to you.
Arabs believe finding a beetle roaming around the house is a sign that guests are coming.
Native Americans:
Burning or smudging sage is a popular method for clearing out negative energy and protecting a home from evil spirits.
Philipines:
If black ants frequent your home you’ll come into wealth.
Portugal:
Spilling wine on the table is lucky and you will have a happy house.
Russia:
Do not shake hands over a threshold when you visit someone and they open the door, even if your emotions overtake you, you should enter first and only then offer your hand or embrace the host. You must not shake hands, hug or kiss them over a threshold – you may disturb a house spirit that lives over it, which could create problems for you afterward.
Whistling in a house could bring misfortune to that household.
South Korea:
If your child loses a tooth, it must be tossed onto the roof. I guess those young Koreans are not being visited by the tooth fairy!
Spain:
Leaving your bedroom windows open on November 1st can bring bad luck, as the souls of the dead roam free that day.
Sweden:
Leaving your keys on a table is bad luck!
Turkey:
When constructing a new home a sheep is sacrificed in the foundation to bring good luck.
United States:
If a swarm of bees land on your house it will soon burn down.It’s quite common in the US to see homes in the south painted blue – porch ceilings, fences and shutters, doors and windows, etc. Tradition holds that spirits cannot cross water, so painting a home blue is a symbolic way to keep evil spirits away. Besides, the blue color is supposed to trick mosquitoes and other insects into leaving, as it looks like the sky. On a side note the original blue paint was a pigment mixed with lime which actually did keep those nasty insects away!
Ukraine:
When you build a new house send a cat in first before any other occupant to please the spirits.
Enjoy your day knowing you have already done many of these things and you are still here able to read my blog!