Superstitions have a special place in every culture and American culture is no different! In fact, some of our beliefs are so uniquely American that they make most outsiders feel rather confused. Here are eleven superstitions that you’ll mostly find in the United States. These traditions are part of what makes our country so special and there’s a real charm to them for those in the know.
Featured Image Credit: fergregory /Depositphotos.com.
The Presidential Curse of Tippecanoe
Some Americans believe in the Curse of Tippecanoe, which says that presidents elected in years ending with zero will die while in office—it began with William Henry Harrison in 1840. It seemed to hold true for every president elected in these years up until Ronald Reagan, who survived an assassination attempt in 1981. Even so, lots of people believe that the curse is true.
Blaming the Curse of the Bambino
For decades, Boston Red Sox fans thought their team was under the Curse of the Bambino. After the Red Sox traded the legendary Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees in 1919, they didn’t win a World Series for 86 years—which was apparently due to the curse. However, the Red Sox finally won the championship in 2004 and many fans felt the curse had been lifted at last.
Fearing the Madden NFL Cover Curse
Likewise, there’s a superstition about the Madden NFL video game cover—players who appear on the cover often end up injured or having a difficult season afterward. Such a pattern has happened enough times that fans & players alike talk about the “Madden Curse.” In fact, it’s made some athletes hesitant to accept the honor because they’re worried about what could happen next!
Like our content? Be sure to follow us on MSN.
The Chicago Cubs and the Billy Goat Curse
During a Chicago Cubs game in 1945, people asked a tavern owner named Billy Sianis to leave Wrigley Field because his pet goat’s smell was bothering other fans. He was so angry that he supposedly cursed the team, declaring they’d never win another World Series—for over 70 years, it seemed to have come true. The Cubs didn’t win anything until 2016 and many people blamed the Billy Goat Curse for that.
Avoiding Bad Luck on College Campuses
Many American college students have their own superstitions, with some believing that stepping on a specific seal or landmark might bring bad luck. For example, students at the University of Texas avoid walking over the UT seal because they think it’ll make them fail their tests. It could just be a superstition but really, do you want to take that chance?
Avoiding Using Red Ink for Signatures
Speaking of students, lots of people believe that signing your name in red ink brings bad luck because red ink signifies the end of something. As such, using it for your signature could invite some kind of endings or ruined relationships, even if you didn’t intend for it. To stay on the safe side, many Americans choose blue or black ink instead—we don’t want to risk anything bad happening!
Spooky Stories of Lincoln’s Ghost
There’s a long-standing belief that President Abraham Lincoln’s ghost still haunts the White House halls as, over the years, various important people have reported strange sounds & sightings. In some cases, people have felt his presence—or even seen his tall figure! The jury’s out on whether these tales are true or merely ghost stories but, either way, they’re an interesting part of American folklore.
Holding Your Breath Near Cemeteries
It’s common for American kids (and some adults) to hold their breath when they go past a cemetery—they believe that by not breathing, you avoid inhaling any spirits or bringing bad luck upon yourself. People will do it even during car rides and it sometimes becomes a competition between who’s able to hold their breath the longest! It’s not a superstition that you’ll really find outside of America.
Bananas on a Fishing Boat Bring Bad Luck
Most American fishermen, especially those in the sportfishing community, have a superstition that bananas on a boat bring bad luck. They believe that having bananas aboard will jinx a fishing trip and cause them not to catch anything—or even lead to accidents. In fact, some captains go as far as banning bananas, banana muffins, or anything related to bananas!
Black Cats as Omens on Halloween
We traditionally see black cats as omens of bad luck in America and there’s a superstition that if a black cat crosses your path on Halloween, it’ll bring misfortune or show that a witch is nearby. Sadly, many animal shelters restrict black cat adoptions in October to protect them from potential harm. Such a belief is uniquely American—many Europeans see black cats crossing your path as a sign of good luck!
Gifting Knives Requires a Coin
It’s customary to include a coin when you’re gifting a knife to someone as we have a superstition that gifting a knife severs the relationship between the giver & the receiver. To prevent this, the receiver should give back the coin as a “payment.” This symbolically keeps the friendship intact and stops the knife from doing the harm that it could.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
Like our content? Be sure to follow us on MSN.
