Everyone’s talking about the luck of the Irish. But what if you’re not Irish? Are you simply doomed? This notion didn’t sit well with us. So, we all got together and made up the following survival guide. This guide will totally help you avoid bad luck all year round. Whether you’re Irish or otherwise.
Each image below is royalty-free and available for downloading. (Cuz that’s how we do things.)
Survival Tip: Never light more than two cigarettes with the same match. From the Crimean War through WWI, this was viewed as bad luck among military men. Lighting “three on a match” suggests that each soldier will be momentarily distracted at the same time, allowing the enemy to attack.
Saved: You, and the lives of those smoking. But then again, cigarettes come with their own dangers right on the pack, don’t they?
Survival Tip: Avoid crows. Yeah, just don’t even look at them. According to lore, if one sees a murder of crows (yes, the word for a group of crows is called a ‘murder’ … lovely), the number of crows seen will dictate that person’s future. And most of the scenarios are rather grim. So, whatever you do, don’t look at crows.
Saved: Your health, wealth, and future, depending on how many crows you might see. If you see six, for example, it pretty much means you’re going to die. Soon.
Survival Tip: Never open an umbrella indoors. According to ancient lore, opening an umbrella indoors is an insult to the Sun God, who will then curse you with a lifetime of bad luck.
Saved: You. From the “storms of a long life,” according to the superstition.
Survival Tip: Never place a baguette or loaf of bread on a table upside down. If you do, according to French lore, you risk being struck down with a hunger curse.
Saved: A lifetime of malnourishment.
Survival Tip: Always exit from the same door you entered. According to a variety of different traditions, from Irish lore to the beliefs of western pioneers, not doing so will only bring you bad luck.
Saved: Your happiness in your next home, but only if you follow this rule immediately upon entering (and exiting) it.
Survival Tip: If you see lizards in your dreams, reevaluate your real-life friendships. Lore suggests that to dream of lizards means that you have a secret enemy in your circle of friends.
Saved: Your reputation from those out to harm you.
Survival Tip: Never clean a new home with an old broom. Throw the used broom out and buy a new one. Lore also suggests that you cannot sweep dirt out of a new house with that new broom unless you sweep something else up with it first. Otherwise, you’re simply ‘sweeping up’ the good luck of your new home, and throwing it all away.
Saved: Any good luck you already possess.
And, check out our Very Superstitious gallery of even more royalty-free images, including the ones used in this blog post. Good luck!
