Have you ever touched wood to ward off something bad from happening? Or avoided walking under a ladder even when you knew there was no danger? Superstitions are part of our culture, and although we often laugh at them, we keep repeating small gestures we learned from our mothers, grandmothers or people close to us.
This Friday, November 13, 2026, a date traditionally associated with bad luck in different countries, is the perfect excuse to discover what lies behind those beliefs that have crossed generations.
What is most curious is that many of them have religious, historical, or cultural origins that evolved over time. Some were born from fear, others from the need to find explanations, and many became customs that we continue practicing almost unconsciously.
1. Crossing paths with a black cat: bad luck or good fortune?
It is one of the most well-known superstitions in the world. According to popular belief, if a black cat crosses your path, something bad might happen.
Its origin is linked to the beliefs of medieval Europe, when black cats began to be associated with witchcraft and supernatural powers.
However, not all cultures share this interpretation. In some traditions, black cats are considered symbols of protection and good fortune.
What it means: it depends on the culture. While some traditions view them as an ill omen, others associate them with prosperity.
The truth is that a cat’s color has no relation to luck. And crossing paths with one can simply be a charming opportunity to admire an animal.
2. Breaking a mirror: the famous seven years of bad luck
Who hasn’t heard at some point that breaking a mirror brings seven years of bad luck?
This superstition has very ancient roots. In different cultures, mirrors were considered special objects because they reflected people’s image, and it was believed they could hold a portion of their essence.
A traditional explanation links the seven years to an old Roman belief that the body underwent cycles of renewal lasting that duration. From there arose the idea that breaking a mirror could symbolically disrupt that balance.
What it means: the breaking of the mirror represents, within this belief, an alteration of personal harmony.
In practice, a broken mirror does not predict the future. The important thing is to collect the fragments carefully to avoid accidents.
3. Walking under a ladder: why it’s considered ill-omened
This superstition blends religious symbolism with a more ordinary, everyday explanation.
A ladder propped against a wall forms a triangle. In some Christian interpretations, that shape was connected to the Holy Trinity, and passing through it could be seen as a sign of disrespect toward the sacred.
Over time, this association evolved into the belief that walking under a ladder would attract misfortune.
What it means: symbolically breaking a space considered sacred and attracting bad luck.
But there is also a practical reason to avoid it: if someone is working on a ladder, walking underneath can be dangerous.
4. Spilling salt: why it’s said to announce a quarrel
Salt holds a special place among the oldest superstitions.
For centuries it was a valuable commodity, used both to preserve food and in various ceremonies and traditions.
Therefore, wasting it could be interpreted as a negative omen. In some folk beliefs, spilling salt signals discussions, conflicts, or bad luck.
There is also a tradition that suggests throwing a pinch of salt over the left shoulder to symbolically ward off misfortunes.
What it means: loss of prosperity, conflicts or imbalances.
Although salt is today a commonplace ingredient, its ancient symbolic value remains present in numerous popular rituals.
5. Opening an umbrella indoors: a superstition many people respect
It’s one of those warnings we’ve heard since we were kids: never open an umbrella inside the house because it brings bad luck.
There are different explanations about the origin of this belief. One is related to the symbolism of the sun in ancient cultures, where certain objects used to shield from its rays carried sacred meaning.
According to that traditional interpretation, opening an umbrella in a closed space could be considered a symbolic offense to the solar deity.
What it means: challenging a symbolic protection and attracting negative events.
There is also a practical explanation: opening an umbrella in a small room can cause bumps or break objects.
6. Touching wood: the gesture we use so luck doesn’t change
It is probably one of the superstitions we repeat most without thinking.
When someone shares something positive and doesn’t want things to change, the famous expression appears: “Touch wood!”
There is no definitive consensus about the origin of this custom. One interpretation links it to ancient beliefs in which trees were inhabited by protective spirits. Another ties it to the Christian symbolism of the wooden cross.
Over time, touching or knocking on a wooden surface became a gesture associated with protecting good fortune.
What it means: seeking protection and preventing something good from turning into a negative situation.
Although it has no proven effect, it remains a common expression that many people use almost automatically.
7. Crossing your fingers: a small gesture to attract good luck
When we await the outcome of an exam, a job interview, or important news, many times we cross our fingers as a way of wishing everything goes well.
This gesture has various historical and cultural interpretations. One of the most widespread links it to the protective symbolism of the cross in Christian tradition.
Over the years, crossing fingers became a universal expression of the desire for something favorable to occur.
What it means: hope, protection and a wish for good fortune.
Perhaps it is one of the most positive superstitions because, rather than signaling misfortune, it expresses our hope that something good will happen.
Why do we keep believing in superstitions?
Although we live in an era where science can explain many phenomena, superstitions still occupy a place in our daily life.
One reason is related to our need to find a sense of security in situations we cannot control.
When something makes us uncertain, repeating a familiar gesture can give us a temporary sense of calm.
Additionally, there is a psychological phenomenon called confirmation bias: we tend to remember experiences that match our beliefs and pay less attention to those that contradict them.
For example, if we think Friday the 13th brings bad luck and we lose our keys that day, we’re likely to connect the two events. Conversely, if we have a wonderful day, we might not even remember the date.
Superstitions do not have scientific evidence showing they can alter our luck, but they do reveal a lot about our history, our fears, and the traditions we inherit.
Friday the 13th: what if we turn bad luck into a positive look?
Perhaps the most interesting thing about Friday the 13th is that it invites us to question how much power we give to our beliefs.
A black cat does not announce misfortune, a broken mirror does not determine the next seven years of our life, and spilling salt does not mean we will argue with someone.
However, each of these superstitions tells a story about how different generations tried to understand the world and find protection from the unknown.
And while it may be fun to learn their meanings, we can also choose to give them a new interpretation.
Because good luck does not depend on avoiding a black cat or knocking on wood three times. Sometimes, it simply means summoning the courage to live without fear of what has not yet happened.
