The document summarizes various superstitions from the USA, UK, and Mexico. In the USA, some believe Friday the 13th is unlucky due to 13 people being present at the Last Supper or Loki being the 13th god. Knocking on wood was thought to ward off evil spirits. Dream catchers were believed to catch bad dreams. Owls were seen by some Native American tribes as omens of death. Certain animals like bears and eagles carried symbolic meanings. In the UK, saying "white rabbits" on the first of the month was thought to bring luck. Autumn leaves and scissors under the pillow also had superstitious meanings. Mexican superstitions included not passing salt hand to hand

1. USA SUPERSTITIONS

2. Friday the 13th
The fear of Friday the
thirteenth is still very
common. In fact, around 19
million Americans are
affected by a fear of the day
and many are so scared
that they refuse to leave
their house on Friday the
thirteenth.
•In Christianity, thirteen
people at the Last Supper,
including Judas who has
been rumored as being the
last person to sit at the
table.
•In Viking lore, Loki was the
thirteenth god.
•The myth didn’t really get
going until the 20th century,
when Thomas W. Lawson’s
novel Friday, the Thirteenth
, a story about a broker who
takes advantage of
superstition to create panic,
became a best seller

3. Knock on Wood
Pagans believed that
all living materials
were imbued with
spiritual properties,
including trees.
When they were cut
down though, the
spirit inside the tree
would die and
become hollow.
It was at this point
that evil spirits, like
sprites, could take
over the item and
concoct ways to ruin
the plans and hopes
of people in the area.
Fortunately, if
someone knocked
on the wood, it would
drive away the
malevolent spirits
and prevent any
potential misfortunes
from occurring.

4. Dream Catcher
The Dream Catcher
represents several
meanings. All of the
decorations and materials
used to decorate them
have a special meaning. A
single bead in the middle
may represent the spider
that is on the
web. Scattered beads
throughout the web may
represent good dreams
that may have been caught
throughout the night. A
feather represents a
symbol of breath or air
which is attached so it
hangs from the center of
the ring. It is essential for
life.
According to their Legend,
in the center of the Dream
Catcher there is a
hole. Good dreams are
permitted to reach the
sleeper through this hole in
the web. As for the bad
dreams, the web traps
them and they disappear at
dawn with the first light.

5. Owls
When an owl is
seen, some ancient
people have believed
that the eyes of the
owl as a reminder of
the energy gate, the
Spirit Gate, are a
sign that someone
will die, leaving
through this gate.
The Pupils resemble
the symbol of the
Great Spirit, a
symbol found from all
around the world
from all cultures and
times. It is the dot in
the circle, the symbol
of the Great Spirit.
some Native
American tribes
believe the owl is a
bringer of death.
other Native
American tribes
believe the owl to be
the opposite.

6. Animal Omens & Totems
Bear: The protector and
symbolizes physical strength
and leadership as well as the
wild, untamable side of
humanity.
•Bear Paw: Good omen;
symbol of direction and power.
•Beaver: Best known as a
hunter and gatherer.
•Coyote: Sometimes
considered an omen of bad
things; also considered a
trickster. The embodiment of
the things we cannot change
or understand. He is about
acceptance of human
limitation. •Eagle: Freedom,
courage; considered the
protector, carrier of prayers,
visions & spirits. Emissaries
from the sky.
•Eagle Feather: Sacred pieces
of spirit - a reflection of a
person's vision and
accomplishments - bravery,
good judgment, humility and
special perspective. Prayers
floating in the wind. Chief.

7. UK SUPERSTITIONS

8. It brings luck to pronounce
“white rabbits, white rabbits,
white rabbits” on the first day of
the month before saying
anything else.
it was widely believed that the
hare was hermaphrodite and
could reproduce without loss of
virginity. This led to an
association with the Virgin
Mary
In Judaism, rabbits can carry
very positive symbolic
connotations, like lions and
eagles.

9. Why do we say 'White Rabbits' at the beginning
of each month? http://www.theguardian.com/notesandqueries/query/0,5753,-
18136,00.html
As I understand it, this expression is used to safeguard the speaker against the
consequences of that other traditional slogan "pinch, punch, first of the month".
Leo Hickey, Barking, Essex
I wasn't aware it was still done. However, it was a common belief among RAF bomber
aircrew during WW2 that saying "white rabbits" the VERY FIRST thing upon waking
would protect oneself. The courage of these heroes cannot be doubted, yet even they
looked to superstition for protection.
David Dreaming Bear, Horsethief Canyon, California USA
I have always understood it to derive from
an ancient fertility charm for women to
invoke pregnancy-seeing as how rabbits
are so prolific.
John Compston, Edmonton, Canada


10. Every leaf you
catch falling in
autumn will bring
you the next
year one lucky
month each.

11. If you have a series of
nightmares, put a pair
of scissors under you
pillow. That will get rid
of the nightmare.

12. Devil Egg
It is strongly
recommend
ed to push
the spoon
through the
bottom of
the empty
shell when
you finish
eating a
boiled egg,
so as to let
the devil out

13. Spork Visitor
if you drop a table
knife expect a
male visitor, if you
drop a fork, expect
a female visitor.

14. MEX SUPERSTITIONS

15. Salt
It is said that to pass the
salt from hand to hand will
bring bad luck of one
person to the other. It is
recommended that the
salt be left on the table.
Throwing a pinch of salt
over your left shoulder will
blind the evil spirits.
Salt represents a pact
with God. The Bible
mentioned use it as a
signal of that pact
(Leviticus 2, 13).

16. Salt
"Verterse el vino es buen sino,
derramarse la sal, mala señal".
Long time ago salt was considered
as money, it was used to preserve
food, because the fridges weren´t
invented then.
Our payment is kwon as “salario”,
word that becomes from “salarium”,
that means the amount of salt that
was given to the people for their
work,.

17. Purse on the floor
It is said that
to leave your
purse on the
floor will
repel money
from being
stored
inside.

18. Match – 3 cigars
To set fire to 3 cigarrettes
with the same match will
bring a very bad luck. This
thought comes from a war
(maybe mexican revolution
?). Three soldiers did it and
the enemy saw the flame of
the first, aimed at the flame
of the second one and
fired to the flame of the
third killing him.

19. Match – 3 cigars

20. The moon
•If a women craves a
certain food a lot when
she is pregnant and
she eats a lot of it, her
baby will look like her
craving.
•If a pregnant women
goes out during a full
moon the moon will
eat her baby’s face
resulting in the baby
being born with a cleft
palate.

21. Traveling
If you want to have a
travel-filled year, you
must tote an empty
suitcase around the
block in a power run.
The faster you go, the
higher your chances
you’ll end up traveling in
the upcoming year. You
can also race with your
relatives.

22. Sweeping
Sweeping before
the New Year
celebration
symbolizes clearing
away bad luck and
making room for
good luck.

23. Lentils & Grapes
Eat lentils will bring
prosperity to you.
Eat 12 grapes (one per
bell stroke at 12 o´clock)
is useful for the same
purpose.