May Superstitions

What is a superstition?

Our most common understanding is that a superstition is any belief or practice considered by non-believers as irrational, supernatural, and even ludicrous.

Some suggest it is akin to the practice of magic and/or an allegiance to notions of fate concerning the 'unknown'.

Most of us are familiar with superstitions being connected in some way to notions of  luck, amulets, fortune telling, and spirits. Our attitudes about what these elements can do on our behalf to protect and/or ward off varies from culture to culture.

My maternal grandmother, an immigrant from Rhodes, would toss salt over her left shoulder to ward off evil. Elder family members would whisper mashallah' (may it be so) after a compliment to encourage the abundance of whatever was being praised (beauty, kindness, strength, wisdom, etc.). 

Here are a few examples of May superstitions found in different pockets of the world:

• Hares found on a May morning are supposed to be witches.

• If a hearth fire goes out in May, it’s a sign of ill luck which can be overturned by relighting the fire with lit sod blessed by a priest’s home and then sprinkling those ashes all over the house.

• Neither milk nor salt should be given away for money. If a beggar is given milk, it must be mixed with salt.

• Bathe the face in dew upon the morning grass to enhance your beauty.

Public domain image by Irwin Julius Weill - File:Weird Tales volume 36 number 02.djvu

First Footing:

New Year’s Superstition: First Footing  

People like passing on tips and tidbits designed to help keep them and their communities safe and healthy. This is especially true during specific times of years considered to be auspicious.

New Year’s Day, one such occasion, is fraught with superstitions of all shapes and sizes.

Here is one that was particularly interesting:

If you want to know what kind of year you are going to have, then you’d better pay attention to the first who to enter your home after the stroke of midnight. He will influence your coming year.   It is hoped that this person is perfect in every way: a head full of hair, good looking, and bearing certain small gifts such as a lump of coal, a silver coin, a bit of bread, a sprig of evergreen, and some salt.

Some believe that blonde and redhead first footers bring bad luck, and female first footers should be shooed away before disaster brings down your house.

It is best if the first footer (sometimes called the "Lucky Bird") knocks at the door to be let in even if he has his own key. He will greet those inside and offer whatever tokens of luck he has brought with him. He ought to visit every room in the house and exit by a door other than the one he came through.

Important: everyone should stay home until after the he arrives. It is best to have the first door crossing be an inbound one.

Hope your first footed guest brings you prosperity this year!