h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I think I might have a mild touch of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, because I go through superstitious rituals even though I don't believe them for one minute. For instance, I always knock on wood if I say something that might jinx me, and I always pick pennies up if they're heads up, and I never spend them. They just sit in my room or in my pockets. I don't believe in any of this, but I do it anyway. I wonder if it's genetic. I'm half Italian and 1/4th Irish and both are very superstisous people. Don't know about the German fourth. Anyways, I just thought it was an interesting aspect of irrational behavior I have experienced firsthand.

I'm half German, half English. Neither of my parents ever displayed deeply superstitious tendencies, although there were one or two that my dad clung to, like not crossing knives at the table and not cutting nails on a Friday or Sunday. My mum has always been psychic, though. We reckon she would have been burnt as a witch 500 years ago.

Actually, there were a couple superstition my mum observed. Before she retired she was a cook by trade, and she always said it was unlucky to whistle in a kitchen. I can see the point of this one. Think of all those germs being blown about. Yeuch!

The other superstition was expressed (in German) as 'Scherben bringen gluck' (not sure about the spelling). This translates roughly as 'Broken pottery brings good luck'. So, if you drop a cup or plate accidentally, you will have good luck. It doesn't work if you drop the item deliberately, unless you are doing it to bring someone else good luck, hence the German custom of breaking crockery at weddings.

Interesting. I wonder how that one started. In my experience, breaking pottery is very BAD luck, especially when it belongs to someone else!

I can see how whistling in the kitchen can bring bad luck. Most people can't whistle that well and to anyone listening it can become REALLY annoying and there are lots of interesting weapons in a kitchen.....! Still, I wouldn't mind someoneelse whistling in my kitchen every now and then.

8)

In Germany, before a wedding friends of the bride and groom will break all sorts of pottery (the noise chases away evil spirits I think). When they're finished, the bride a groom sweep up the mess together.

I witnessed this from afar, so I'm not quite sure of the time table (right before?, the day before?, a week? etc).