Cat- The cat occupies a central position in animals credited with supernatural powers. Egyptians bestowed divine status on them and in NO circumstances were they to be killed or it was punishable by death. In later centuries they were tied directly with witchcraft. Many people once believed that kittens born in may should be drowned immediately otherwise the house hold would suffer from bad luck. It was from Egyptian times that cats were believed to have 9 lives. That is still said to this day. Black cats that cross your path are said to give you bad luck.

Church yard watcher- The spirit of the person most recently buried in a churchyard, whose duty is to watch over the other people buried in the churchyard until it is time to summon another living person to the grave and thus be relieved.

Clover- Finding a four leaf clover has always been known to bring good luck- It is said that the four leaflets represent- fame, wealth, a faithful lover and good health.

Door- The door is the usual entrance in which either good or evil enter or leave the house. In olden times people often protected themselves by barring the doors magically to malevolent entities. Tradition throughout the world dictates that doors be open at the time of childbirth and again at the time of death to cut short any prolonged suffering.

Elm- The long lived elm tree was revered in Norse by mythology as the source of the first woman Embla, and is still associated with a number of ancient traditions among these is the superstition that one’s livestock is sure to suffer if the dead leaves should fall in their vicinity.

Exhumation- Not surprisingly it is widely held that it is unlucky to dig up a body that has been interred. Punishment for so rash an act may be extended to the death of one of the surviving members of the deceased’s family.

Fog- Misty weather might often strike those caught in it as eerie and ominous especially those at sea. An old rhyme however suggests that the location of the fog predicts forthcoming weather.

Fog on the hill

Brings water to mill;

Fog on the moor

Brings sun to the door.

Gorse- The gorse bush, with its unfriendly spikes is an unlucky plant. Many people will refuse to allow a sprig of gorse blossom into their home maintaining that to do so will invite the death of someone in the family or bring about some misfortune.

Hair- Superstition insists that it retains a mythical link with the body even after it has been cut off. The color is said to tell information about character. Red hair- known to have a vile temper, while fair hair is a sign of weak nature. Black hair suggests great strength and virility and is also lucky. It is said to be lucky to run ones fingers through someone else’s hair.

Shivering- It is said that when one shivers suddenly and without apparent reason that someone has just walked over their grave.

For LOTS of Superstitions from all over the world from A-Z check out Dictionary of Superstitions By Cassell