Check out these strange Hungarian superstitions!
Whether one believes in superstitions or not, they influence our lives subconsciously. They reflect the country’s history, culture and customs. Here are some Hungarian superstitions that are widely known – some of which are funny, strange or even scary!
Superstitions about bad luck
In Hungary, when a black cat is crossing your path, you will feel uncomfortable. However, this has nothing to do with Hungarian people not liking cats. According to a superstition, if a black cat crosses someone’s path, the person will be unlucky. In addition, killing a spider, walking under a ladder or 13 Friday mean bad luck, too, writes budapestrivercruise.eu. There are also some beliefs about weddings. If the fiancé sees the bride’s wedding dress before the ceremony, the marriage will be sad and misfortunate.
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Good luck
Although many supersitions are about bad luck, there are some positive supersitions, too. For example, if you come across a wedding ceremony, you will be lucky in love. Futhermore, the tradition of Luca’s chair is a quite common belief in Hungary. According this myth, the maker of the chair took it to the midnight mass and if they sat on the chair, they could see who the witches were. Another typical superstition is when somebody puts his clothes upside-down, which also means good luck.
Hungarian New Year’s Eve superstitions
The New Year’s Eve superstitions suggest that the first day of the year will determine the rest of the year. That is why some superstitions are strongly connected to New Year’s Eve. For example, Hungarians are careful about what they eat on this specific day. It is generally accepted that poultry should not be eaten on New Year’s Day, writes shuttlesfrombudapest.com. Regarding fish, there are controversies. On the one hand, some superstitions suggest that it is forbidden to eat fish because it swims away with one’s luck. On the other hand, some say that you can eat fish on the first day of the New Year, just start at the tail.
Hungarian folk superstitions
In Hungarian folklore, for 7 years, luck avoids a house in which a mirror is broken. The person who broke the window will not get married for 7 years. Another folk superstition is in connection with eggs. If we accidentally drop an egg and it breaks, then we hear good news, but if it is undamaged or just cracks, then bad news is expected, writes sokszinuvidek.24.hu. Hungarians tend to have superstitios beliefs about food. For example, accidentally spilled salt causes anger or minor quarrels, but if the wine accidentally spills, it is considered a favourable sign.
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Source: budapestrivercruise.eu, shuttlesfrombudapest.com, sokszinuvidek.24.hu.