Whether you believe in them or not, you’ll probably be familiar with a superstition or two. Superstitions are sayings that rarely hold much scientific water but instead have been passed down through the ages.
You’ve probably heard that it’s bad luck to place new shoes on a table, walk under a ladder or cross paths with a black cat, but we rarely hear of superstitions that involve the bedroom, so we thought we’d scour the globe in search of some bed-related superstitions to share with you.
This superstition is believed to originate from Portuguese folklore. Supposedly, hanging your hat on the bed foretells arguments within the family or with people who are close to you.
Our advice would be that if you are superstitious, hang your hat on a coat rack or door handle instead.
The people of Japan say that it’s unlucky to lie down with your pillow facing north. It’s known as ‘Kita Makura’ in Japanese and whilst many people believe that it derives from Buddhism, because Buddha apparently died with his head pointing north, the actual origin of this superstition is unknown.
Like with most of these legends, there isn’t a lot of scientific evidence to suggest that they are true, and we’re not completely certain where this particular superstition comes from, although it is said to date back as far as the 1600s.
In the 17th century, people thought that if you let a cat into your bedroom then you would be cursed with bad luck – so much for a catnap! We also think that this might be where similar feline superstitions come from.
If you are familiar with ancient Mediterranean cultures, you may know that peacock feathers are associated with Lilith, a Jewish demon, which has led many Mediterranean people to ban peacock feathers from their bedding. Don’t worry about replacing your pillows and duvets just yet though, as this superstition only refers to peacock feathers and not our lovely goose feather and down varieties.
