Halloween Superstitions

Halloween Superstitions

In America some people believed in the magical powers of black cats. Certain bones on the cat had the power to make wishes come true, or even to make one invisible. In North America, it's bad luck if a black cat crosses your path and good luck if a white cat crosses your path. In Britain and Ireland, it's exactly the opposite![t

The Blue Cat in Russia brings good luck. The "Blue" is often viewed as a "gray" cat.

Owls

Many people used to believe that owls swooped down to to eat the souls of the dying. If they heard an owl hooting, they would become frightened. A common remedy was thought to be, turning your pockets inside out and you would be safe.

Some believe if you catch a snail on Halloween night and lock it into a flat dish, then in the morning you will see the first letter of your sweetheart written in the snail's slime.

Dumb Supper

'No Talking at the dinner table': The Dumb Supper was brought to America by the Africans. The is an eerie Hallowmas meal - where nobody is allowed to speak, not even whisper. It encourages spirits to come to the table.

In Britain, people believed that the Devil was a nut-gatherer. At Halloween, nuts were used as magic charms.

Peel an apple from top to bottom. The person with the longest unbroken peel would be assured the longest life. If you threw the apple peel over your shoulder, the initial it forms upon landing is the initial of your future mate.

In ancient Samhain festivals, bats would swoop over blazing fires to eat the mosquitoes.

If a bat flies around a house 3 times, it is a death omen.

If bats come out early and fly around playfully, then it is a sign of good weather to come.

If a bat flies into a house it is a sign that ghosts are about and maybe the ghost let the bat in!

Knock On Wood

If a girl puts a sprig of rosemary herb and a silver sixpence under her pillow on Halloween night, she will see her future husband in a dream.

Knocking on wood keeps bad luck away.

You should walk around your home three times backwards and counterclockwise before sunset on Halloween to ward off evil spirits.

Blue Flame

If a candle flame suddenly turns blue, there's a ghost nearby.

To prevent ghosts coming into the house at Halloween, bury animal bones or a picture of an animal near the doorway.

A person born on Halloween can see and talk to spirits.

If you go to a crossroads at Halloween and listen to the wind, you will learn all the most important things that will befall you during the next twelve months.

When bobbing for apples, it is believed that the first person to bite an apple would be the first to marry.

Spiders & Spirits

If you ring a bell on Halloween, it will scare evil spirits away.

If you see a spider on Halloween, it could be the spirit of a dead loved one who is watching you.