There are many superstitions surrounding shoes, especially in England. Many of these stem from old Pagan beliefs, but are still quite common today.
- If you place your shoes on a table bad luck will come. This usually takes the form of a big argument, or your house is struck by lightening.
- Leaving your shoes in the shape of a cross is considered bad luck and the only way that you can break the spell is to get someone else to pick them up for you.
- If a beetle crawls out of your shoe, bad luck with follow you all day, but if it crawls over your shoe, you’ll die!
- Putting your left shoe on first is a very bad omen. Always put the right one on first unless it’s Friday, then it’s okay to do the left one first. (If, like me, you are left-handed, you probably do this every day.)
- If you walk with one shoe on and one off, you will have bad luck for a year and a day.
- Putting your shoes on the wrong feet forewarns of an accident involving your feet, or legs.
- Holding, or placing shoes higher than your head always brings bad luck. Tying the laces together and hanging shoes on a nail will only bring misfortune.
- Putting your shoes under your bed will bring bad dreams and illness. Placing shoes on the bed has the same effect.
- In theatres, actors belief that placing shoes on a chair will bring down misfortune and failure.
- Giving shoes as a gift on Christmas Day is considered extremely bad luck for the person receiving them. (Now, who can I give shoes to?)