Superstition
In England we like to think we're different from the rest of the world. We are logical; other nationalities are emotional.
For example, if you sneeze in Germany, people say 'Gesundheit'. If you sneeze in England, people say 'Bless you'. The reason for both dates back to the Great Plagues which swept Europe in medieval times. Sneezing was a symptom, and so people wished good health to the sneezer. We still do so today.
But there is a big difference. What the Germans do, we call a 'superstition'. What the English do, we call a 'custom'. Superstition is ignorance, old fashioned, and bad. Custom is interesting, tradition, and good.
In fact, we have just as many superstitions as other European countries, but we are embarrassed to admit it.
Should you follow English superstitions? For example, it is bad luck to walk under a ladder in England. We don't believe anything bad would happen, but we all walk around ladders just in case. Therefore we hope that foreigners will walk under a ladder, so we can see if anything bad happens to them.
Here are the more common superstitions in England.
Touch wood
When are hoping for something, we say '...touch wood', and find something wooden to touch, to guard against bad luck. For example, 'The business deal is finalised next week... touch wood'. This dates back to Celtic times. A tree could take evil spirits down into the earth, like a lightning conductor. In a modern office, it is often difficult to find a tree, or indeed genuinely wooden. Usually, a melamine-coated chipboard table has to suffice.
Friday the 13th
An unlucky number and unlucky day. The reasons are lost in the mists of time. Various religious explanations are given (the fate of the thirteenth guest at Jesus's Last Supper, Jesus crucified on a Friday, Noah's flood started on Friday etc.) none of them provable. Some hotels omit Room 13 and occasionally people reschedule business meetings mistakenly set for a Friday the 13th, but the date is usually ignored. The unluckiest thing that might happen to you is having to watch any of a series of boring American horror films are called Friday the 13th.
Four-leafed clovers
Clover has three leaves, so finding the rare mutation with four leaves is very good luck. Except near a nuclear power station, perhaps.
Ladders
We don't walk underneath them. Some sources say this is because a ladder was traditionally propped up against the gallows; others, that a ladder against a wall was a triangle and therefore the sign of the Holy Trinity. Nowadays, a ladder against a wall is the sign of someone cleaning a window. They use a rubber wiper which sprays soapy water everywhere. Walking underneath is therefore not a good idea.
Horseshoes
It is good luck to have one nailed up over the door. Horseshoes in a bedroom protect you from nightmares. Possibly the good associations come from its shape, like a new moon. Finding a horseshoe in the road is exceptionally good luck. If it has come from a grey mare, this is doubly good. Sadly, the only things you find in the road now are broken wheel trims from family cars. If you find a horseshoe nailed up over the door of a pub, it is probably bad luck. It probably means the pub has been recently redecorated in so-called traditional style and sells expensive fizzy beer.
Black cats
If a black cat crosses in front of you, this is bad luck. (The black cat could be the devil in disguise.) Of course, if you are in a fast train or bus, it could be bad luck for the cat.
Breaking mirrors
The mirror shows our soul. Therefore, breaking a mirror damages our soul: seven years of bad luck. The cure is to bury the broken mirror, or run it in a stream to wash away the bad luck. Old people often cover up mirrors in a thunderstorm, because they believe mirrors attract lightning. These days, it is very common to have your car's wing mirror broken, when passing other vehicles in England's narrow winding streets. This means seven year's bad luck, because your insurance premiums go up.
Salt
Salt, the traditional preserver of food, is a symbol of purity. Spilling it is bad luck. You must take a pinch and throw it over your left shoulder, to blind the devil who is waiting there. However, if someone has spilt red wine, then we happily pour salt over it. The salt soaks it up and prevents staining. The devil by our shoulder is bad, but a stained carpet is worse.
Shoes on table
It is very bad luck to put shoes on a table. (A symbol of death.) Such shoes cannot be worn again. In our grandparents' time, when they only had one pair of shoes, this was a calamity. Nowadays, when shoes are only made to last a season and then thrown away, it doesn't matter so much.
Umbrellas
Opening up an umbrella indoors is very bad luck, though no-one seems to know why. However, forgetting your umbrella means it will probably rain.
We do not expect foreigners to follow these superstitions. We expect you to break mirrors, walk under ladders, and let black cats walk across in front of you. Then we can see if they really will bring bad luck.
This is not spite. It is merely scientific interest. After all, we are not an emotional race. We English are logical. Just don't ask us to walk under a ladder.
Going Native