94 Items Tagged

Superstitions

Gray Peas with Bacon and Onions

Finish all your Latvian peas for good luck in the New Year.

Christmas Eve Carp

Some families keep their holiday meal fresh by letting it live in their bathtub.

Lussekatter

These saffron buns are eaten on Lucia Day in Sweden.

Edinburgh, Scotland

David Hume's Statue

Touching this 18th-century Scottish philosopher’s toe allegedly conjures good fortune.

Cake Pull

At some New Orleans weddings, bridesmaids predict their futures with these hidden charms.

Garita del Diablo, seen from fort San Cristóbal (2015).

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Garita del Diablo

Legend tells how a Spanish soldier disappeared from this isolated sentry box without a trace.

Burying Bourbon

In the American South, some believe it deters rain on one's wedding day.

The wall is roped off to deter people from touching the chakra.

Wawel Chakra

This grubby wall is said to be one of the Earth's esoteric energy centers.

Hades and Persephone, with Persephone holding a branch of parsley (or perhaps celery).

Ancient Greek Funerals Were Decked Out in Celery

It was a powerful symbol of death—and victory.

Anne Ewbank October 23, 2018

Gregory of Nin’s Big Toe

The big toe of this towering monument to a Croatian national hero is worn from years of superstitious rubbing.

Edible Dormouse

A beloved dish in ancient Rome, these rodents are now grilled or stewed in select Croatian and Slovenian restaurants.

Nimbu Mirchi

These dangling decorations of lemon and chili peppers are meant to ward off a goddess of misfortune.

Istanbul, Turkey

Hagia Sophia Wishing Column

Legend says if you stick your thumb in the hole and it gets wet, your wish will be granted.

The Princess Theare

Melbourne, Australia

Princess Theatre

One of the oldest theaters in Australia, it's also said to be haunted by a performer who died on stage.

Laufskalavarda.

Laufskálavarða

Cairns built to bring travelers good luck stretch across the land like miniature stone mountains.

Barmbrack from Imen Mcdonnell's 'The Farmette Cookbook'

Barmbrack

The Irish bread comes with raisins and omens.

The tree.

College Station, Texas

Century Tree

Campus tradition says couples who walk beneath this enormous oak will stay together forever.

The annual Blessing of the Fleets ceremony.

Washington, D.C.

The Blessing of the Fleets Ceremony

The fountains of the U.S. Navy Memorial are annually salted with water from the Seven Seas as part of a nautical ritual.