Mexican superstitions by Zulay Crestani

Instructions

zulaycrestani — 2021-10-15 17:25:07 UTC

Don't forget to write your name (:
1. Think of one mexican superstition (If you want some inspiration, you can check the pictures of this post).

2. Write a short text (about 60 words long) explaining what the superstition is about. Use some sentences in First Conditional (:

2.1 Feel free to add as many details as you want (Do you and your family believe in it? Do you have an opinion about it? Do you have any story related to that superstition?)

3. Post it here. If you want, you can add pictures, videos or audios (:

4. Don't worry if someone else wrote about the same superstition that you chose (:

Red bracelet in babies. Villa Melgosa Ana Karen

2021-10-15 18:21:33 UTC

Is a very common superstition, I knew about that from my mom and grandmother, they told me that if the babies use a red bracelet they will be protected from bad energies or “mal de ojo”, this is because the baby is considered like pure and they don’t have force to avoid them.

Personally, I don’t believe in that, I don’t think that a bracelet protected you from bad energies, but in fact I think in bad energies and mal de ojo and things like that, my grandmother knows how to remove a “mal de ojo” and my family in general believe in this superstition.

Babies and witches. Romero Morales Dayana Denisse.

2021-10-16 06:02:16 UTC

I´ve lived in Hidalgo, more commonly since the pandemic starts. Despite the above, every new year´s eve is a tradition from my family to tell some spooky stories a little bit related to Mexican superstitions.
A lot of people from there, tell that if you hear some footsteps at the ceiling you will have to put scissors below your bed; especially if you have babies at home they will go for them, so you have to put salt on the roof to scare them away.
That´s very common stories about what happens with babies not baptized. I´m a little skeptical about that, but three years ago I saw a little ball with a strange form (like a woman) flying in the sky, so nowadays I don't know what to believe about it.
Despite it, I´m sure if you are in Hidalgo, you will hear a lot of traditional Mexican superstitions.

Scissors

ivonnecrm — 2021-10-16 08:22:49 UTC

A few months ago my nephew was born so lately I have been hearing a lot of superstitions about babies, but there is one that really helped my nephew and it says “If you put a scissors under the pillow, your baby will be protected of the witches”, and before I didn’t believe in that, but a few months ago in the my nephew’s house you could hear women laughs and jumping noises on the ceiling of the baby's room and since the superstition was made, nothing happens anymore.

Pigeons.

2021-10-18 04:26:03 UTC

When I was in high school, while I was playing with my friends, a pigeon defecated on me. It was disgusting but my teacher told me that if a pigeon defecates on you, you will have good luck.

Then when I talked about it with other friends, they told me the same thing. Finally, I did research on pigeons and read that they were very interesting birds and that Christianity believes that if a pigeon defecates on you, you will have good luck.

When I was the experience with a pigeon, I didn’t feel very lucky, but I was very happy and I think It was a fun moment.

At the present, I haven’t had other experiences with pigeon buy my father hates pigeon because always defecate on the car.

Black Butterflies.

bpbj14tm — 2021-10-18 05:51:46 UTC

"If you see a big balck butterfly, you or someone in your family will die"

This butterfly are relationated with death and bad vibes.

I am not a superstitious person but I have ever had bad experiences with it, because en 2012 my familly and I saw it and one week later my grandfather died (He was ill and his health was crittical) and in 2014 my pather saw other black butterfly and his sister died days later (She was ill to and her health also was crittical).

Grapes in the new year - Vivi Marché

2021-10-18 17:35:14 UTC

It is a common superstition that many Mexicans practice to welcome the new year. It comes from Spain and is currently practiced by many Latin American countries.
The superstition says that you will get good luck and happiness in the new year if you eat grapes at midnight. You must eat twelve grapes for each one of the chimes to welcome the new year.
Also, if for each grape you make a wish, all of your wishes will be fulfilled.
I used to practice this superstition when I was a child, but then I stopped believing in it, so I stopped practicing it. However, I still eat grapes in the new year only because I love grapes.

Mexican superstitions

2021-10-19 02:26:41 UTC

It is very common to hear that, if your ears are buzzing, it means that someone is talking bad about you. But few people know that for each ear there is a different meaning.

If your left ear buzzes, it's a sign that someone will be in love with you.
But if your right ear buzzes, it's a sign that someone will be talk bad about you.
The solution is to pinch your ear so that whoever is talking about you will bite their tongue.

⍨ Uriegas

Itchy hands.

2021-10-19 15:00:31 UTC

"If you rub your hand when you itch, you will push the money away"

Don't rub the palm of your hand when you have an itch. The itch always predicts good luck, in that it avoids rubbing yourself, because if you do it you will send money away. Instead, place coins or dollar bills in your palm and press until the itching subsides. Similarly, if you hit your elbow, it means that you will receive a surprise but you do not have to rub the area that causes you pain.

NYGC

Baby in front of a mirror.

2021-10-19 23:41:40 UTC

"If you put a baby in front of a mirror, she or he will be mute"

This superstition comes from catholic religion, people that are involved with this religion used to say that the mirror are portals to evil dimensions or worlds and the babies have a weaker wil, so they are propens to be mute or even lose their soul.

Nowadays it is a superstition that isn't very common, but some mothers still believe in it.
I think your baby will be okay if you put her or him in front of a mirror, but for me it is strange to read it, and maybe it is worse if someone tells the parents of the babies and then the parents get afraid because of that.

-Ximena Escobar

Inflated Tortilla

2021-10-20 04:56:02 UTC

"If the tortilla inflates, you will get married".
When I was a child, I used to heat tortillas with my grandmother. One day, a tortilla started to inflate and my grandmother told me that she would get married soon. I was surprised, I didn´t understand how a tortilla influenced your destiny.
Years later, I understand that the phrase that my grandmother told me is a superstition. And it is very popular.
She explained me that she learned it from her mother. And maybe my
great-grandmother also learned it by the same way.
I don´t know where this superstition come from but it is too ancient.
Honestly, I don´t believe in this things but just in case I hope the tortilla never inflates while I heating it.

The Black cat.

2021-10-20 16:38:23 UTC

"If you see a black cat walking in front of you, you will have bad luck, or something wrong will happen"

Since the inquisition, people said that the black cats were the devil and they were associated with satanic rites.
My parents don’t believe in superstitions, so my brother and me neither. But my grandmother believed in this superstition.
When my mother was a child, somedays my grandmother had to go to another town. My mom and her brothers got alone in their house. Once they saw a black cat and they began hearing strange sounds at night, the next day the hens were dead.

Clay pots can be "cured"

taannaa35 — 2021-10-20 16:56:26 UTC

Since I was a child, I remember my mother and aunts said me that "if you cure your pot, you will be able to use it for a long period of time".

They used a lot of methods for "cured" their pots:
To heat vinegar for an hour into the pot
To cover the pot with pasta
To boil water with soap into the pot
The most crazy: To cover the pot with mango

Time before, I never understood why you can be sure that with this methods you can extend lifetime of your pots, but today I know the reason thanks to my toxicology classes...

History says that, in the period prehispanic, people died if they consume food prepared in clay pots. They searched solutions for this problem, and found this actions in the pots before it use. Using this methods, they didn't die!

Now, we know that clay pots have lead, and when we eat food prepared in them, we consume a small concentration of this toxic substance.

Over time, we lost the notion about why we "cure" our pots. Maybe our moms don't know true consequences, but it is still an important activity in the mexican kitchen.

Brooms and bad luck

2021-10-20 18:17:08 UTC

My mother always tells me that my grandfather believed that if we sweep at night, we will have bad luck with money. I have never understood why but nobody in my family does it, so we always have to keep the floor clean when the night arrives.

One day, somebody told me that he doesn't believe it, however don't do it is a good idea because to sweep at night may cause health problems.

I've also heard: If someone sweeps over your feet, you will have bad luck in love. So, yes... it's a little dangerous to use a broom in Mexico, haha.

When you shouldn't cook tamales

2021-10-20 19:22:33 UTC

If you make tamales while you're angry they won't cook

This superstition says that if you are angry or in a bad mood and you prepare tamales, no matter how long you cook them, they will keep uncooked.

It's funny because this did happen to my family, an uncle was angry for some reason and the tamales were never cooked, since then we try to be in a good mood and we say that we can't get angry when we prepare tamales

Period and wilted flowers

2021-10-20 22:07:28 UTC

When I had my first period my mom said me that if you water flowers when you are menstruating the flowers will wilt.
My mom used to believe in this superstition and related superstitions like beer will bitter, mayonnaise will sour or babies will get sick if you are in contact with them when you are menstruating. Luckily now she thinks period is natural and healthy.
I don't belive in this superstition and I was shocked (also annoyed) to know that it is because the woman's bleeding is considered impure in the Catholism.

If you add salt inside the house, things can get difficult, they get salty ...

2021-10-21 00:11:55 UTC

This superstition was born in Europe as a result of the scarcity of salt, where it was very difficult to get it, so spilling it was already an act of disgrace in itself. Later, with the arrival of Christianity, this superstition gained more force, since it is said that Judas Iscariot spilled some salt during the Last Supper, a scene that can be seen in Leonardo Da Vinci's painting, entitled “The Last Supper”.

This superstition has transcended the towns of Mexico and is repeated even in large cities.

If you have a nightmare you will tell someone or it will come true

2021-10-21 00:39:06 UTC

if you have a nightmare you will share your fear by telling someone your nightmare or it will come true. However, if it is a pleasant dream, do not tell anyone, otherwise it will not be fulfilled

The umbrella superstition

2021-10-21 02:52:46 UTC

There is an old superstition that my mother used to told me when I was a kid, it was about that if someone opens an umbrella inside its house or inside a place with ceiling, that person will have a bad day.
So I know that this superstition is known in Mexico City but I don't know if it is known to throughout the Mexican Republic. About this superstition I think that ourselves predisposed our actions with the feeling that something is going to be wrong and for that reason the people believe that the superstitions are true.

Umbrella superstition

2021-10-21 02:53:26 UTC

Carla María Espinosa Martínez

Stick knives in the grass to keep it from raining

2021-10-21 04:09:24 UTC

One day when I went with my friends to Cuernavaca, it was raining and this couldn't allow us to enjoy our holidays. Some of my friends told us that “If we stick two knives in cross shape It won't rain”, Honestly I didn't believe it but we tried and stuck the knives in the grass and the surprise was that this day didn't rain. After this day I believe in this superstition.

An unexpected visit

2021-10-21 04:34:38 UTC

"If the wood in the bonfire whistle, you will receive an unexpected visit that day in your house. "

In the village where my fathers were born, the people use bonfire to cook their food, so when you have a bonfire and it stars to whistle ... some people think that is a sign that means that you will receive a visit in that day, and the unexpected visit will be important for you.

The real explanation is that the wood isn't completely solid, it has water and sap inside, so when the wood isn't dried you can hear a whistle provokes by the water inside of the wood becoming vapor and trying to escape.

Alejandro

Salt Cross

2021-10-21 04:40:24 UTC

When I was 5 years old I went to visit to Puebla my grandmother's family for first time. Many times I watched something weird near the door and when I asked about it they answered me this:
"If you put a salt cross on the right side of the front door or next to a window, you will ward off rain-laden clouds."
This practice is actually very old, it is not known exactly when, I always have thought about that is ridiculous but maybe there will be a logical reason behind all this. Not for nothing to date, many people continue to implement it.

Spicy sauce

pablojesusmr2000 — 2021-10-25 06:22:42 UTC

“If you are angry, you will make a very spicy sauce”

In Mexico and many countries of Latin-American there is a gastronomic superstition that says when you are angry and prepare any sauce it will be very spicy; this superstition has its origin in the belief that if you are upset, you could be you confuse some ingredients or add more chili in the sauce you are preparing, as a way to express your feelings.

I really believe in this superstition, I think that if you are angry and prepare not only sauce but any kind of food, you won’t be focused enough and you could make a mess.