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We say somebody has got up from bed with the left foot when this person is in bad humour.
In the past, it was believed to bring bad luck when you put the left foot firt on the floor after waking up.

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We say "touch wood" in order to avoid bad luck, either when we mention good luck that we have had in the past or when we mention hopes we have for the future.

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Throwing rice to the bride and groom just after they get married.

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Throwing rice to the bride and groom just after they get married.

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Throwing rice at the end of the ceremony is meant to symbolize rain, which is said to be a sign of prosperity, fertility and good fortune. More recently, wedding meddlers have cautioned against throwing rice because it was rumored to harm unsuspecting birds who swoop down and eat it once the crowd has left.

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.People say that finding a four leaf clover is a luck omen as there is only 1 four leaf clover in 10000 three leafers.

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We cross our fingers when we want something to happen or when we hope that things happen in the way we want them to happen.

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Many superstitions arose in a past where life was governed by the weather and the seasons, so it’s no surprise that there are plenty of customs and beliefs associated with autumn. Autumn was a scary time.
There is a superstition: people believe if you catch a falling leaf in autumn, then you’ll be free of colds all year. And there’s an added bonus; every leaf you catch means a lucky month the following year.

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Sayin "white rabbits" on the first day of the month.

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Sayin "white rabbits" on the first day of the month.

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According to superstition, the saying is meant to give you good luck, if you say it on the first day of the month before midday.

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Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated the day after Christmas Day, thus being the second day of Christmastide. It is usually celebrated on December 26.

It originated in the United Kingdom and is celebrated in a number of countries that previously formed part of the British Empire.

In Britain, it was a custom for merchants to deliver “Christmas boxes” of money or gifts to their workers on December 26 if they have provided good service as a sign of gratitude.

It's a well-known holiday for shopping, much like Black Friday.

Boxing Day is the highest earning day.

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When you enter someone's house, you should take off your shoes. The host is very likely to offer you a pair of slippers to wear while your visit. The custom  is probably related to Polish weather which is often cold and the  buildings can be cold inside too.

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In Poland people over 18 prefer to celabrate their name days to avoid remembering their age. They invite friends and family over for dinner or a small party.

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WE CELEBRATE NAME DAY IN POLAND??//  WHAT IS IMIENINY? // ItsEwelina

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on Easter Monday

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WET MONDAY - TRADITIONS OF THE SECOND DAY OF EASTER – Poland In

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Marzanna was a pegan Slavic godess of death, winter and cold. On the first day of spring a doll made of straw which resembles Marzanna is drowned and often burnt to say good bye to winter.
It's an attraction for young children.

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Today is Friday the 13th, and many people will be nervously watching the skies for sudden lightning strikes or falling anvils. But where does our superstition surrounding this day, known as paraskevidekatriaphobia, originate from? And why is there such apprehension surrounding the number 13?

Friday the 13th in history and fiction

Though folklorists claim there is no written evidence for the superstition before the nineteenth century, the date has long been connected to notorious events in history and religion.

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According to Catholic belief, one of the most significant events in their religion - the crucifixion of Jesus Christ - took place on Friday the 13th.

Geoffrey Chaucer also made reference to the apparent unluckiness of the day, recording in his Canterbury Tales that it was bad luck to start a journey or a project on a Friday.

One of the most popularised myths attempting to explain the origin of the Friday 13 superstition stems from events on Friday 13 October 1307, when hundreds of Knights Templar were arrested and burnt across France.

This myth caught the public's attention after it was used by Dan Brown, among other historical fiction writers, and has been peddled endlessly by conspiracy theorists linking the Knights Templar to everything from Freemasonry to the Holy Grail.

Magpie
To see a single Magpie is considered unlucky, so you may hear people greeting the bird with 'Hello Mr Magpie. How/Where is your wife?'

Magpies are often seen as sneaky due to their penchant for shiny objects, such as jewellery and coins, their lack of a pretty singing voice, and their habit of eating the eggs from bird nests.

In Scotland they're considered a sign of impending death, but in China spotting one is regarded as good luck. Generally they're not all bad though, only when alone: The old rhyme goes:
'One for sorrow, Two for joy, Three for a girl, Four for a boy, Five for silver, Six for gold, Seven for a secret never to be told.'

Spilling salt
Back in the day, long before processed meals were invented, salt was an extremely rare commodity and so to spill it was considered a waste of money. As a valuable preservative, it was also linked with longevity so some cultures believed that spillage could affect your own health.

If you look closely at Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper, you might also spot that Judas has spilled the salt.

A German proverb holds that 'whoever spills salt arouses enmity', with the best antidote being to toss a pinch of the spilt salt over your left shoulder, into the face of the Devil who lurks there.

Full moon
Full Moons are traditionally linked with temporary insomnia and insanity due to the folklore that madness can occur in cycles with the moon, hence the term lunatic or luna cy. It was also thought that to sleep in direct moonlight caused madness or blindness.

The full moon is of course associated with lycanthropy as the mythological werewolf is said to appear whenever one appears...A study by the Bradford Royal Infirmary even found that there was a significant increase in animal bites during a full moon over a certain period.

Unlucky 13?

The origins of Triskaidekaphobia - the fear of the number 13 - could be traced back to the 19th century belief that Judas Iscariot sat in the 13th place at Jesus's table at the Last Supper.

Along with Jesus, there were 12 disciples at this meal, and Judas has come to represent betrayal and bad luck in Western societies. Even if there is no direct biblical evidence linking Judas to the 13th place at the table, the number of guests at the Last Supper and its significance in the Christian religion could have been enough to cement the idea of 13 as an unlucky number in Western cultures, particularly if this idea was promoted by the superstitious Victorians.

Modern day incarnations

Ironically, the superstition of the event may be linked back to an American club that attempted to debunk the superstition surrounding the number 13 and its associated bad luck date.

The Thirteen Club first met on 13 September 1881 (a Wednesday) and determined to actively flout any and all established 'superstitions' they knew about.

No hype, just the advice and analysis you need

With this in mind, the group of 13 would meet on the 13 of each month, sit 13 to a table, break mirrors, spill salt with abandon, and walk under ladders - all while carefully recording how many members died.

Over the years the group grew to roughly 400 members - including a number of US presidents - but the groups notoriety just added to the date's significance in the public psyche.

Then, in 1907, eccentric stockbroker Thomas Lawson published a book called Friday the Thirteenth. It detailed an evil business's attempts to crash the stock market on the unluckiest day of the year. The book was a sell-out and in 1916 made into a feature-length film.

Finally, the myth acquired the first seal of Hollywood in 1980 when Paramount Pictures released Friday the 13. Fridays would not be the same again, after Jason proceeded to slash his way across a summer camp and US box offices.

The 'statistics' of Friday 13th

There have been various studies released over the years that either prove or disprove the Friday 13 myth.

In 1993 a British Medical Journal study claimed there was a "significant" increase in incidences on a Friday the 13, but the author of the study later confessed it was "a bit of fun" as traditional in the Christmas edition.

Meanwhile, Dutch researchers found you were actually less likely to be injured on Friday 13th. The study hypothesised that people were preventively more careful on the day as a result of the superstition.

Not Friday the 13th but Tuesday the 17th?

As it turns out, paraskevidekatriaphobia is mostly an American and English fear.

Italians previously used to be far more concerned about Friday the 17th, although with the Americanisation of the country this has largely shifted to 13th for younger generations.

In Spanish-speaking countries it is Tuesdays, not Fridays, that hold superstitious omens. Their belief is also held by the Greeks, who consider Tuesdays as dominated by the influence of Ares (the God of War).

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The bizarre reasons we're scared of the number 13

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Today is Friday the 13th, and many people will be nervously watching the skies for sudden lightning strikes or falling anvils. But where does our superstition surrounding this day, known as paraskevidekatriaphobia, originate from? And why is there such apprehension surrounding the number 13?

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In Britain, there is probably no other wild bird associated with superstition as much as the magpie. For hundreds of years, the inhabitants of both England and other European countries were so afraid of magpies that they almost hunted them to extinction.

However, before the spread of Christianity, the magpie was an important symbolic bird often associated with good luck or fortune. Some Native American tribes, for example,

believed that wearing a magpie feather was a sign of bravery, while others considered the magpie to be a sacred messenger from the creator.

But the Church saw the magpie very differently, saying that it was the only bird that didn’t cry for Jesus during his death or that he didn’t enter a period of mourning due to its multi-colored plumage. We could say then that if Jesus hadn’t died, the superstitions around the warblers would never have appeared.

But why did the magpie have such a bad reputation and how did these superstitions come out?

Like other corvids, magpies have long been associated with death.

Magpies are also known for their inquisitive and mischievous nature, which means they earned a somewhat unfair reputation as thieves. If a precious ring disappeared, people blamed the crows

Over time, the idea that magpies were bad birds evolved into the idea that magpies will bring bad luck.

However, you only see a bad magpie when it is lonely as it is supposed to bring bad luck.

We are not entirely sure why this is the case, but we know that magpies often mate for life, so if we see a lone magpie it means that it has lost its partner, therefore, the possibility that it brings bad luck is greater .

To avoid the bad luck that can come from seeing a lone magpie, there are several things you can do such as greet the magpie, quickly blink your shoulders, or wave your hands like wings.

The fear of a lone magpie bringing bad luck is fairly common across the UK, but in some areas there are more magpie-specific superstitions:

-Scotland: a single magpie seen near the window of a house is a sign of imminent death.

-Welsh: if you see a magpie when you start a journey and move from right to left, the journey will be dangerous.
-Ireland: magpies are the souls of evil and gossiping women.

-Somersault: carrying an onion with you at all times will offer you protection against the bad luck that a magpie can bring.
By Jenifer and Kely.

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Usually, if you sneeze, people will say you “God bless you” or “Bless you”. But why do we say that?

There are a few different explanations about the origins of “God bless you”. The first theory back to the first century, in this time a sneeze meant the body was trying to expel an evil spirit. So in that case, if someone says to you "God bless you", this will be a way of trying to provide protection against evil spirits.

Others believed that our hearts stop when we sneeze, so we say “God bless you,” as thanks to God, for surviving.

However, the most popular theory is that it originated in Rome when the bubonic plague was ravaging Europe. Sneezing was one the plague's main symptoms, so Pope Gregory I suggested that a tiny prayer in the form of saying, "God bless you" after a sneeze would protect the person from death.
By Eva and Elena.

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We're not entirely sure why this is but we know that magpies often mate for life so seeing a single magpie may mean it has lost its mate and therefore the chance of it bringing bad luck is higher. Indeed, according to the rhyme coming across a larger group of magpies could actually bring you good fortune and wealth.

If you see onemagpie, you will have bad luck with your next partner.
By David

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If you're spooked when you see a black cat, it’s probably from medieval folklore that continues to shroud the reputation of these dignified kitties. Black cats have long been associated with witches and witchcraft. It's said that the story began when a black cat was seen running into a house thought to be inhabited by a witch. During the Middle Ages, black cats became equated with black magic. Roaming nocturnal black cats were thought to be witches in disguise, witches' pets, or animal-shaped demons sent by witches to spy on humans. Throughout early 13th century Europe until the 17th century Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts, black cats were killed along with those who were considered witches. Black cats have evolved into icons of anything related to witchcraft, especially during the Halloween season. If you see black you will have bad lucky .
By Gabriel

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This is one of the most common superstitions in Britain. If you see a ladder propped up against a wall in the UK, it is very unlikely that you will see someone walking underneath it for fear of getting bad luck.

It is thought that this superstition originates in Egypt thousands of years ago. The Egyptians strongly believed in the power of the pyramids. So much so that even a ladder leaning against a wall formed a triangle which symbolised a pyramid. They believed that walking under a ladder would break the ‘power’ of the pyramid and bring bad luck.

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In Spain, we blow out the birthday cake candles and we think of a wish at the same time. If you don’t tell the secret to anyone, it will come true.

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The triangular shape of a staircase is remembered of the construction of a pyramid and if someone walked inside it they were thought of attacking the sacred powers of the pyramid.

"If you pass under some stairs, you will be unlucky"

Carlos Muñoz y Adrián Cánovas

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In the UK, wherever there is a mass of people you will find an orderly queue. British etiquette dictates that when you arrive, you join the back of the queue so that each person receives the service in the order that they arrived. We ‘wait our turn’ in queues. The notion of an orderly queue relies on everyone in the queue agreeing that this is fair. It is seen as unfair if someone doesn’t join the queue and pushes in.
https://studylinks.com/british-etiquette-a-guide-for-international-students/

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Loose Leaf Tea With Betty Twyford & Trumpers Tea

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~How to make a PROPER cup of English tea~

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You will need: Loose tea leaves Milk Tea strainer Cute Tea pot Teaspoon Drink slowly with your pinkie finger in the air! Salutations!

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British people talk about the weather a lot because it's very changeable. It may rain, snow, be windy, sunny or cloudy. This can happen in British winter, but also in British summer.