It's Friday the 13th (YIKES! :-) so here's a rundown of some famous superstitions... and where they started.
1. Plucking the petals off a flower to play "she loves me, she
loves me not." It comes from a game in medieval
called "to thin the leaves of a daisy." The English saying came
around after it was printed in a 15th century songbook.
2. Throwing a coin into a well to make a wish. Since wells are a
source of water, they symbolized fruitfulness. So if a woman stood by a well and made a wish, it was supposed to come true. And back then she usually wished for a husband and children.
3. Kissing under the mistletoe. It's thought to have originated
at ancient Greek festivals, as a way to ward off evil and welcome love into people's homes.
4. Throwing rice at the bride and groom. It comes from ancient
Hebrew and Egyptian cultures, and is a symbol of fertility and good fortune.
5. Carrying something old, new, borrowed and blue at your
wedding. These are based on a couple traditions. The
"old" shows a couple's intention to keep their existing family
connections, even as they begin a "new" family.
"Something borrowed" is an item given to the bride to symbolize
the love and support of her friends. And the "blue" symbolizes
purity, fidelity and loyalty, going back to Biblical traditions.