If you have ever refused to walk under a ladder or love pulling the turkey wishbone at Christmas, you may also believe in some of these popular superstitions - and it seems you're not alone.
A survey of a thousand people carried out by Tombola indicated that over half (55%) of Brits consider themselves superstitious. The most commonly held belief when it comes to luck is the need to salute a lone magpie to ward off misfortune, with 31% of Brits saying that they carry out this action when they see the supposedly unlucky bird.
The research also suggested that more than a quarter of people believe in some other commonly held superstitions, with 27% of people admitting to throwing salt over their shoulder to ward off bad luck. The same number said they still believe that breaking a mirror will curse them with seven years of bad luck.
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Meanwhile, the survey showed that 23% of people asked think that getting pooped on by a bird will bring good luck, while 16% will refuse to pass others on the stairs for fear that it will bring them misfortune. Women appeared to be more superstitious overall than men, with 40% of women saying that they didn't believe in superstitions compared to 47% of men.
From knocking on wood to crossing our fingers, there are plenty of beliefs that many of us continue to act on in everyday life without even thinking about it. But partaking in superstition-fuelled activities may actually be down to a “collective habit” as a way of bonding with one another.
“Many superstitions are so common, like catching the bride's bouquet, that they're not even seen as superstitions, just a fun custom,” says psychic and witch Inbaal Honigman. “The bond that ties all superstitions together is that they are attempts to control a situation or explain a situation, using total random and unrelated means - based on a primal fear, or a lack of understanding.”
Do you believe in any superstitions? Let us know in the comments below.
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