Superstitions and Omens
These are sayings that I have heard many times in my life. A lot of them I have read. I am always amazed by how accurate they truly are. The ones that have to do with homes are on my page "The Magical Home". These here are about various other things, many of them concerning the weather.
On New Year's Eve, open a window just before midnight so that any bad luck from the past year can escape, and the good luck can come in.
Using noise makers on New Year's Eve was to drive away evil spirits.
If the wind's in the East on Candlemas day, there it will stick till the second of May.
Lots of snow in February will bring a good Spring, while a mild month portends a stormy Spring.
Anything begun on February 29th is assured of success.
Sow no seed on the last three days of March.
When March comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb. (This also works in reverse).
Keep the windows shut on March 1st so no fleas may enter, then you shouldn't have fleas all that year.
Gather a sprig of mistletoe on St. John's Eve and place under the pillow to enduce prophetic dreams.
If you catch a falling leaf in your hands in the Autumn, you will have no colds all winter.
If there is a hard frost before November 11th, it will be a wet winter.
You must remove all remnants of Christmas Day from your house by January 6th, or bad luck will enter.
When winter seems to be over, you will still have two short cold spells to go. The first is called Dogwood Winter, and happens when the Dogwoods bloom. The second is Blackberry Winter, and happens when the blackberry blooms.
If you see a lot of wooly worms in the Autumn, it portends a hard winter, with lots of snow.
If a clock chimes just before a bride enters the church, it's a good sign for the marriage.
If a clock chimes the wrong hour, bad luck will arrive in the number of hours that are chimed.
It is bad luck to begin any venture on a Friday.
Any child born on a Sunday is said to have the second sight.
The seventh child, of a seventh child, is said to have the second sight. They also can cure warts, infantigo, and other diseases.
When you hear a sparrow sing, a baby has been born. When a sparrow is killed, the child it was to sing for, will not live.
If you kill a wren, you will have a broken bone soon.
It is considered unlucky to have wallpaper with birds on it.
If you are starting a journey and a flock of birds flies by on your right, this is a good omen for the journey. If they fly by on the left, you might want to stay home until another time.
Crows: One means sorrow, two means mirth, three for a wedding, four for a birth, five is heaven, six is hell, and seven is the devil himself.
Should a cock crow outside the back door, a stranger is on the way.
If a dove calls near a mineshaft, there will be a disaster.
If an owl hoots around houses, an unmarried girl has lost her virginity.
If a woman steps on a swallows eggs, she will be barren.
The swan sings at its death.
A swans eggs only hatch in a thunderstorm.
If three swans are seen flying together, it foretells a national disaster.
When you hear a cuckoo for the first time in a year, you should turn over the money in your pocket. Money will not be a problem all that year.
Crickets in the house are lucky, but to kill one is to court bad luck.
A black lamb will bring luck to the flock.
To own a black cat is lucky, and one you don't own crossing your path is unlucky.
Foul weather is on the way, when ants are extremely busy.
Fair and calm weather is foretold by bats flying in the open air at sunset.
When bees enter and don't leave the hive, rain is coming.
