Bad luck is trapped at the point where the two fingers meet so when we cross our fingers, we stop the bad luck from escaping and allow our wishes to come true. 1. Whoever opened an umbrella in the house did not pay respect to the Sun God and so would risk bringing misfortune to their family. 1. Superstition runs deep in the Italian upbringing. Another good reason to not eat chicken or turkey on New Year's Day is that . I know what its like to start from scratch and to even go back to absolute basics and learn what a verb is! Learn how your comment data is processed. In fact, we were in San Gimignano and it actually happened to Gary while we were eating gelato in a piazza. It is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. A rabbit's foot will bring. We grow up with unspoken regulations to ward off bad luck, and just as casually perform rituals to draw in good fortune. January 10, 2021 Many of our Italian relatives believe in superstitions. A baby keeps its luck in the grimy lines of its hands. However, in Italy, 13 is considered a lucky number! #22: If you cross your knife with your spoon after eating, you are indicating that the food didn't taste good and that you're wishing the cook to have bad luck. I sometimes wonder how human beings made it as far as we have! We, however, think they are super cute! We especially like traditional Japanese knives. 26 Knife Superstitions That May Surprise You: #1: Placing a knife under the bed of a woman giving birth is believed to ease her pain during labor. medianet_height = "250";
if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'sharpyknives_com-banner-1','ezslot_1',103,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sharpyknives_com-banner-1-0');We all take knives for granted in modern times. Or do you find it silly? Today a site visitor might be shocked at which superstitious notions are taken seriously and which are taken with a grain of salt, so to speak. Subscribe to my newsletter to receive detailed travel guides, exclusive travel and language learning tips, priority access to giveaways and more! The superstition about giving a knife to a friend is that the relationship is doomed because the knife will sever the friendship.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'sharpyknives_com-mobile-leaderboard-1','ezslot_10',110,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sharpyknives_com-mobile-leaderboard-1-0'); This superstition probably arose after a lifelong friend gifted the other person with a knife, and shortly after, they had a quarrel which dissolved the friendship. Stirring a drink in a cup, soup in a bowl, or food cooking in a pot with a knife was considered a bad omen that was sure to bring bad luck upon the person brazen enough to perform this heinous act! Salt and oil should not be passed from hand to hand. Some knife owners would never allow another person (with the exception of their SO) to touch their knives. #11: In Iceland, it is believed that when a knife is dropped by someone while cleaning fish and the knife lands pointing in the direction of the sea, the fisherman will get a good haul the next time he goes fishing. 3. As a matter of fact, the left side has always been associated with the devil. The first comes from ancient Rome, where umbrellas were used to protect against rain and sun. To avoid bad luck, Italian gypsies never steal pearls, coral, or silver. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Same for the birthday celebrations: very rarely do people in Italy organize their birthday party in advance unless its the night before, which means youll wait until midnight to get together with your friends! The quintessential Italian American superstition: the Evil Eye (Malocchio) The Evil Eye, or Malocchio, is one of the most ancient and widesrpead superstitions of the whole Mediterranean basin, so no wonder it also became a well known Italian American superstition.. Every culture seems to have their own version of the Evil Eye and their own ways to fight it. So, it was a win-win solution; put a knife under the mattress to ease the pain and give birth to a son! This superstition is based on the religious fact that bread is considered a symbol of life, therefore, its bad luck to turn the bread up-side-down or stick a knife into it. A hat on the bed is associated with eternal rest and death! 2. In Italy, its also customary when passing the salt to place it on the table first before handing it over. You are said to be "matiasmenos" (the evil eye has been cast upon you) if you are dizzy or have a headache and yawn a lot. Having 13 people around the table at mealtime is considered bad luck, as there were 13 people at the Last Supper. An evil eye is not necessarily malicious; it is simply a look that brings misfortune. After all, you dont want to take any chances! (See you there!). Planning a trip? Another similar superstition is that you should always give a pocket knife back the way you received it. Italians believe that these evil contraptions blow dangerously cold air in your face, leading to colpo dari or a punch of air.. Knives as Wedding Gifts. If the knife's handle comes to rest pointing at you (or whoever is asking the question), then that means your future spouse will be fair. Thats a taste of the many traditions and superstitions that have grown around knives through the centuries. Here are 15 Italian superstitions that you need to know or at least be aware of. You are offering no explanation. Top 13 Italian Superstitions. SharpyKnives.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The specific ways we do things, such as setting the table for guests or placing our eating utensils on the plate after a meal, have their roots in old-time superstitions. The origins of this belief are unclear, but perhaps the knife under the mattress provided firmer support than the mattress alone, which helped ease the pain. A knife crossing another knife, or even a utensil, had different meanings in different cultures. As a matter of fact, opening an umbrella indoors may bring financial bad luck: its a sign that you may soon no longer have a warm and cosy roof to live under, or you will be hit by some sort of tragedy such as losing your job or experiencing a natural calamity. A man hoping to get the gift of the gab Photo: iStockphoto. If you are a single woman with hopes of meeting your Principe Azzurro (Prince Charming), be careful around brooms! guaranteed, As your guide, I walk you through each lesson, step-by-step, using my unique 80/20 method. This superstition is linked to an old belief that since a mirror reflects ones own image, it could therefore also trap their soul. If they do, they risk attracting a more handsome rival who will steal their beloved away forever. The knives production, their sharpening, and general care of knives are among our biggest hobbies. 2. I heard it means once again but I dont get the point of how the translation works out. Older Post I grew up making sure I didnt walk under a ladder. Remember that mattresses in those days were often material stuffed with straw rather than our scientifically designed space-age comfortable mattresses. When youre feeling under the weather, chances are you want to take a nice hot bath to soothe your pain. Be careful though! #13: Another superstition suggests that when a knife falls to the ground, a man will soon visit. It is no coincidence that the word " sinistro" i n Italian means not only "left" but also "sinister", as in shady, or obscure. "Topolino dei denti". Thrusting it into the door of a house is also believed to provide protection. It would be bad luck, therefore, to lay the bread upside-down on a table or counter. It is believed that if you or someone else accidentally brushes your feet with a broom while sweeping the floor, you will never get married! This superstition is still very much alive today, even among theatre actors, who never bring a real mirror on stage to prevent it from breaking. We like to learn new knowledge about knives and therefore we decided to establish this website. (Costs, Investment & More), Buyers Guide: Why & Which Swiss Army Knife You Should Buy, 5 Proven & Safe TIPS: How To Dispose Of Kitchen Knives, All Knife Sharpening Stones Types Explained & Compared. If knives are on your registry, just give the gift giver a penny . The glock knife is way too good and this model needs to keep being made. In previous centuries, people who owned a knife had an important title or a certain power over others (the head of the family for example). Like a bad rash that won't go away, it will follow you wherever you go. Unlike the number 13, the number 17 is considered bad luck. Another common superstition in the dark ages was that if you crossed your knife with any other piece of cutlery at the table, it was a sign that you were involved with witchcraft. Most likely, this superstition arises from old beliefs in witches and their animal familiars, which were often said to take the form of domestic animals like cats. Sacrilegious. Make sure to follow some important rules or you might attract some misfortune! Once a knife has taken its owner's blood, the owner will never sell or trade that knife with anyone. Don't worry about reading a Top 13: in some countries, 13 is thought of as an unlucky number, but in Italy 13 is a lucky number. As a word of warning though, if you decide to take up any of these superstitions, most women you know wont take kindly to your stabbing a knife into the headboard of their babies beds. My approach is different from traditional methods because I teach you the most important 20% of the language right from the beginning so you can start to speak straight away. Hes definitely. If a cat is crossing the street, dont be the first one to cross its path, as youll have bad luck. The giver of a knife, according to many traditions and superstitions, should only offer a knife with a penny attached, which the recipient promptly gives back to the giver as a "payment" for the knife, thereby preserving their relationship (and fingers). We use knives to prepare food, eat, hunt, defend ourselves, or even as an everyday tool that we carry with us. Whetheryou're a total beginner or know a thing or two about knives, browse around for info on how to choose a survival knife, what the best survival knife is (depending on your needs and the situation), pros and cons ofthe different kinds of steel and blade shapes, and lots more. It is unclear where this superstition originated, but I suspect that a person used someones favorite knife to stir their drink, resulting in the knifes owner taking exception to this and challenging the offender! Cin cin! or (alla) salute!, is what you say in Italian when making a toast. Nowadays many superstitions have lost (almost) any contact with religion but theyve become a significant part of the culture and form the basis of many Italian life rules. This probably dissuaded would-be thieves and people with malicious intent from breaking into the house. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases with no additional costs for you. If someone handed the knife to you closed, you should hand it back closed to avoid bad luck.