Co-written by Fatima Ali. Additional reporting by Anjana Melvin.
In a previous version of the story, Kathleen Ra’s name was misspelled.
Everyone has heard of the classic superstitions; see a black cat and you’ll have bad luck, step on a crack and you’ll break your mother’s back, break a mirror and you’ll have bad luck for seven years. There are also some unusual ones you may have never heard of. Throwing water at house guests as they are leaving, holding your breath as you pass a cemetery, and giving nutcrackers to family members for their birthday are just a few examples. Explore the map to learn about cultural superstitions from around the world.
