15 Superstitions People Still Irrationally Believe In

Don’t step on that crack, you’ll break your mother’s back! While many superstitions are ludicrous, many of us still irrationally follow and believe in them with no explanation as to why. From wedding rituals to good luck charms, here are 15 silly superstitions we still follow for no good reason.

peek bride

Courtesy of Ray Dumas/Flickr.com

1. Seeing the bride before a wedding ceremony

The groom saw the bride in her dress before they tied the knot? Oh well…it’s a lifetime of bubonic plague, hailstorms, and boils infestation for them (don’t look at me, I didn’t make the rules).

broken mirror

Courtesy of Bart Everson/Flickr.com

2. Breaking a mirror

Seven years of bad luck! But isn’t seven supposed to be a lucky number? I’m confused. 

black cat

Courtesy of Storem/Flickr.com

3. Black cat crossing path

Oh nooooo! A lifetime of bad luck! Wait…that cat is more brownish/black right? Yeah, let’s roll with that.  

rabbit's foot

Courtesy of Carly Lesser & Art Drauglis/Flickr.com

4. Rabbit’s foot

Thankfully, this superstition is slowly going out of style. How cruel do you have to be to decapitate some cuddle wuddle bunny’s foot just for good luck? Just adopt a rabbit, keep him close, take care of him and you will have many good fortunes (because we believe in Karma…right?).

666

Courtesy of Kuba Bozanowski/Flickr.com

5. 666

Oh no! It’s Satan’s number! Say your hail Marys and repeatedly write the number seven until the coast is clear! Phew! That was a close one.

dreamcatcher

Courtesy of Ren Kuo/Flickr.com

6. Dreamcatcher

Tired of waking up from nightmares in the middle of the night? No worries! Just head down to your nearest Indian reservation and acquire a dreamcatcher that will suck every monster and ill will out of your sleep. Hey, if visiting rural Mississippi is a bit of a stretch for you, hanging up a horseshoe should work too.

groundhog day

Courtesy of Anthony Quintano/Flickr.com

7. Groundhog Day

Why do we need Eddard Stark to tell us that winter is coming when we have Punxsutawney Phil’s much more reliable prediction? Aw shucks, he saw his shadow, better buy that thermal underwear soon.

old borrowed blue

Courtesy of Shannon/Flickr.com

8. Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue

If the blushing bride is not wearing all four of these “crucial” items, she is clearly digging her own grave. Is grandma’s old garter belt really blue or turquoise? Uh oh. I smell a divorce…

ladder

Courtesy of Angie Harms/Flickr.com

9. Walking underneath a ladder

Yes, some people do nervously avoid walking under ladders outside of Buster Keaton’s episodes. Because Lord knows a piano could fall atop of you all because you had to take the alternative route.

penny

Courtesy of Gary Millar/Flickr.com

10. Picking up a penny

Pick up that dirty penny and you’ll have good luck all day (right after your tetanus shot).

white labor day

Courtesy of Maegan Tindari/Flickr.com

11. Wearing white after Labor Day

Not only it’s bad luck, but it’s in poor taste. Hello? One should never wear white with those shoes anyway!

umbrella indoors

Courtesy of Alice/Flickr.com

12. Opening an umbrella inside a room

This is disheartening news for circus performers worldwide.

fingers crossed

Courtesy of Katie Tegtmeyer/Flickr.com

13. Crossing your fingers

Keep them crossed! Because once you uncross your digits, things will go downhill from there.

bless you

Courtesy of Tina Franklin/Flickr.com

14. Saying “bless you” after someone sneezes

Not only will someone sneer at you for failing to address their random germ-spraying impulse with a hearty “bless you!”, it’s considered a polite thing to do (for God knows why). For non-religious folks, a simple “gesundheit” is a good substitute.

friday the 13th

Courtesy of Dennis Skyley/Flickr.com

15. Friday the 13th

Don’t even think of leaving the house. Don’t even think of turning on the stove. Hell, just don’t even get out of bed.

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