In past years, one of the local supermarkets in Myrtleford has provided calendars to their valued customers. This year, no doubt as a cost saving measure, they are not offering this little freebie. So, I went to the local discount store and bought one.
I don’t recall many things my mother told me, but as I looked at the pages of the calendar, I heard her warning, from at least 70 years ago “Never put up a new calendar until the first day of the new year. It’s very bad luck to put it up before then.” I’ve never once disobeyed her, and I’m not about to start now.
So, what, if anything, are you superstitious about? Do you remember the origin of your personal superstition(s)?
Hello World 
I had never heard that putting up a calendar early was bad luck, but my mother believed the one about the shoes on the table. She also told us that whistling at the table was bad luck, and signing your name in red ink would cause misfortune as well.
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I can hardly wait to put the new calendar on its little hook!
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Well, the secret is out now. 😆
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Oh absolutely. I don’t hang the new one until 1 January, or turn the page until the new months. Like Toutparmoi, I feel like it’s tempting fate to get ahead. I do get a new diary in December though, so I can start writing appointments or events for the new year in.
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Maybe we had the same mother!?
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That’s a nice thought but I don’t remember my mother ever telling me about calendars. Having said that, my sister and I are always saying how Mum tells one of us the same thing twice and doesn’t tell the other one at all. So perhaps you are my secret sister and Mum told you and not me.
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I don’t really have a superstition. Once I was stubborn enough to deliberately walk under ladders. We used to play the game of avoiding pavement cracks – but didn’t take the bad luck if you didn’t seriously.
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You know you saved your mother’s back by avoiding those cracks, Derrick. 😊
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🙂
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I did NOT know that about calendars! I shall listen to your mom this year!
My aunts said to NEVER walk on a grave (in front of the headstone where the person’s body is buried). They said it was bad luck and disrespectful. So, I’ve always obeyed that one. More for the disrespect aspect as I’m not really superstitious.
Also, they said if your nose itched you would have a visitor show up. And there was one about your ears…but I don’t remember what they said on that one…like if your ears were itchy someone was talking about you?! Or something like that.
Growing up I heard all the popular ones like: walking under ladders, breaking mirrors, etc. = bad luck and picking up pennies, carrying a rabbit’s foot, etc = good luck. (although I always thought that is certainly bad luck for the rabbit! 😮 )
It would be fun to research some of these and find out how and when they got started!
HUGS!!! 🙂
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I found quite a few sites online that explained the origin of a number of superstitions.
My mom said if your nose itched, you were going to kiss a fool!
Hugs back to you. 😊
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HA! Well, I’ve kissed a few fools! 😉 😛
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😆
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If you post two posts on the same day nobody will read the second one. Other than that I have no superstitions.
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That’s a fact, not a superstition!
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I did not know about this – and I will wait! no early calendar for moi.
also – you are so right about cost cutting – I remember when asian places gave those cool wicker calendars with paintings
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I’m glad to hear you have taken my mom’s advice to heart. 🙂
The calendars that the supermarket gave out were so good, lots of room to write important things like “worm tablets for the cat”, and so on.
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ha – laughing at the cat note – but so important hee
and even tho i keep thing digitally there is something nice about a paper calendar
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We’re just your typical old fashioned gals, it seems!
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🙂
indeed –
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I’ve tested the walking under a ladder a trillion times and now I believe that I must, otherwise I’ll have 7 years bad luck.
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I like that! That superstition goes back to the Egyptians, by the way.
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I don’t have any superstitions – touch wood.
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Good on ya, Bruce Almighty. (Crossing fingers behind back.)
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Being raised by my grandmother I have more superstitions than you can imagine! I never allow a rocking chair to rock if no one is sitting in it, never open an umbrella indoors, never seat 13 people at the table, and never do any sewing on a garment while it’s being worn. The list goes on and on but those are the ones I never ever do!
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I hadn’t heard the one about the rocking chair, and the one about sewing has now bobbed up twice today.
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The calendar superstition I’m familiar with is never turning the page for a new month before that month has started! So you can’t flick over to the new month before you go to bed unless you go to bed after midnight. Which I often do, so I’m safe.
I think it’s all about not tempting fate. Or not counting your chickens before they’re hatched. Even when I’ve booked my air tickets, I don’t say (for example) “I’ll be in London in May.” I usually say, “I’m heading for London in May.” Not quite so definite! Though I daresay I have lapses.
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I’m the same about not turning to a new month, or saying “I haven’t had a cold for ages.” That’s the signal for sneezes and sore throats to appear.
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Hello Yvonne, glad to be getting your very educational emails again even though Alida keeps me up to date. Always the calendar one, how about wash blankets in May wash one of the family away. My paternal grandmother experienced this twice so I have never tested it. Sending best wishes and love for the holiday season, Margot
Margot
>
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That’s one I had never heard, Margot. Your complex must be getting very festive in appearance. You and Taz have a lovely Christmas. 💕
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I am not normally superstitious but the girls two doors down made me a plate of chocolate brownies. They name themselves as sisters and hold ‘cottage meetings.’
One comes from Utah and the other from Hawaii.
I suspect they might want to convert me. But am beyond salvation.
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Just keep eating those brownies, Gez!
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I’ve had that same admonishment Yvonne ,from my mother, a million years ago—along with making darn certain all Christmas decorations, trees, lights, etc…anything having to do with Christmas, better be taken down, packed up or discarded before Jan 1 or it will be a bad forthcoming year…..and you better bet I do so…even having started some years Christmas night…..oh for the “wisdom” of a mother 🙂
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Those mothers have a powerful reach, stretching so far back. Have you passed on any of these words of wisdom?
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Of course — but this generation— I don’t think they listen like we did 😎
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It’ll come back to them many years from now.
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🙂
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My grandmother used to say if you were sewing a button on a garment while wearing it, you were sewing sorrow to your back. No idea why!
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That’s another scary one, Andrew. And you do wonder how in the world these beliefs began! ❤
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I don’t have any superstitions, but my Dad had at least two. One was not to put a pair of shoes on a table and another was not to allow two knives to cross on the table. There’s no point in putting a new calendar up before 1 January, but I do transfer all the appointments and holiday dates etc onto the new calendar as soon as I get it, usually in December.
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The shoe one I can accept, but only because of hygiene reasons. I wonder if Google can tell us the origin of the two you cite?
Aha, here’s one: http://cdn4.list25.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/229-610×360.jpg
“Years ago when a miner died his shoes would be placed on a table. This allegedly led to the superstition that putting shoes on the table brings bad luck.”
And: “Two knives crossed on a table will cause a quarrel. It is believed that uncrossing or straightening them immediately will prevent bad luck or a quarrel from happening.”
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Wow. I have never put up a calendar before the first day of the new year, but I don’t remember Mom ever saying that. But if Grandma said it, it must have filtered down to me somehow.
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I don’t even like turning over to a new month until the first day of that month.
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Did you hang your calendar early last year?
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It rather looks that way, Jane! I shan’t do it this time. 🙂
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