Kristal Lee

Photo Credit: old-picture.com

Ever heard of "old wives tales"?
The term has been around in some fashion since the 1st century and the concept ranges from moral lessons to folk remedies.

I remember a couple of  "old wives tales" from my childhood.

The first that comes to mind is: Knock on Wood  to ward off bad luck.
I still do this when I don't want to jinx myself. I can't not do it. It's ingrained into my autonomic responses.

Another: Cats steal baby's breath.
I wonder if this came about because baby's breath smells like milk and cats like milk. My grandmother liked cats, but she never allowed one near infants or toddlers.

Ever had a chill run up your spine for no apparent reason? Well, that means someone in the future is walking on your grave. Ergo, I'm obsessively careful when walking in cemeteries.

I learned this one from my dad: Find a penny, pick it up. All the day you'll have good luck. I can't pass up a coin on the ground. Once, when Professor X and I were at Busch Gardens I picked up a penny in the parking lot. A little while later, I found a nickle, then a dime, a quarter. By mid-afternoon, I'd collected a few more coins and a dollar bill. Finally, I had enough to buy an ice cream. Ahhh, what a lucky day.

Hey, did you know it's bad luck to kill a lady bug?

And did anyone ever tell you that eating raw pasta would give you worms? Or walking barefoot would make your feet big? Yes, someone told me those things. No, I never got worms and my shoe size is 5 1/2.

How about step on a crack, break someone's back or break a mirror and have seven years bad luck? Don't cross paths with a black cat. 

Pulling out a gray hair will cause ten to grow in its place. Now that one, I believe.

Know any "old wives tales" that you'd like to share?

Superstitions. What are they and where to do they come from? According to Wikipedia, "superstition is a credulous belief or notion, not based on reason or knowledge." Sometimes superstitions are referred to as folk tales, old wives tales, or urban legends. I'm not sure anyone can pinpoint with accuracy where, when, or why these handed-down warnings originated but some have been around since ancient times and many revolve around Halloween. 

Did you know that the tradition of pumpkin carving on Halloween came from the old belief that placing a burning candle inside a jack-o-lantern kept evil spirits and demons away? Have you ever heard that gazing into a candle on Halloween night will show you the future? And everyone should remember that if you hear footsteps coming up behind you on Halloween night, do not turn around because it could be DEATH following and looking DEATH in the eye hastens your own demise. Oooh, creepy.


So, why is Halloween associated with the dark and sinister more than any other time of year?   Some people believe that it is rooted in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in) which celebrated the end of summer--the time of light, and the beginning of winter--the dark time. The Celts believed that the veil to the Otherworld weakened on Samhain. This allowed spirirts, good and bad, to pass into their world. Friendly spirits of departed friends and family were welcomed into their homes, while the unwanted and capricious spirits were kept at bay with costumes and painted masks. Over the centuries, various customs and  religious rituals merged to become the modern concept of Halloween: costume parties, trick-or-treating, apple bobbing, and scary movies. But not many truly believe in the dead walking the streets except, maybe, for the zombie and vampire enthusiasts among us.

And yet despite our modern technologies, scientific advances, and a more "logical" world perspective we still hold on to old superstitions.

I'm an educated woman with a whole of common sense and sass, but I still "knock on wood" whenever I say something and don't want to jinx my luck. I also throw salt over my shoulder if I spill it. Silly little actions, I know, but I can't help myself. Because in the back of my jammed-packed brain there is a sliver of the "what if". What if I don't do that and something horrible happens? Maybe it's something left over from the primordial evolution of cro-magnon man to modern man. Who knows. But I know I'm not the only one who harbors a bit of those old superstitions.

Soooo.....time to play Plinky!  Leave a comment and tell me.....