WeirdSome Taiwanese funerals feature exotic dancers performing on electric flower cars to attract crowds and give the deceased 'one last hurrah.'3232k
InterestingWhen you speak of good or bad luck, many people knock on wood to ward off misfortune or preserve good fortune. While popular folklore attributes this to ancient Celtic beliefs in wood spirits, the practice most likely evolved from a 19th-century British children's game called 'tiggy touchwood,' where touching wood made players safe from being tagged.3021k
InterestingAccording to widespread superstition, once a wedding ring has been placed on the finger, removing it brings bad luck to the marriage.1831k
InterestingIf one walks underneath an open ladder it is said to bring bad luck. Sometimes it is said that this can be undone by immediately walking backwards back underneath the ladder.1411k
InterestingOpening an umbrella indoors is said to result in 21 days of bad luck. Some traditions hold that it is only bad luck if the umbrella is placed over the head of someone while indoors.1361k
WeirdIn the Ukraine, if you find a spider web in the house on Christmas morning, it is believed to be a harbinger of good luck! There once lived a woman so poor, says a Ukrainian folk tale, that she could not afford Christmas decorations for her family. One Ch984k
InterestingIt is a recognized practice in some communities in Southern India for a man to marry his elder sister's daughter, a form of cross-cousin marriage, though its prevalence is declining.943k
WholesomeIn many households, part of the fun of eating Christmas pudding is finding a trinket that predicts your fortune for the coming year. For instance, finding a coin means you will become wealthy. A ring means you will get married; while a bachelor's button or thimble predicts a year of single blessedness.651k
InterestingAt Christmas, it is traditional to exchange kisses beneath the mistletoe tree. In ancient Scandinavia, mistletoe was associated with peace and friendship. That may account for the custom of "kissing beneath the mistletoe".531k
WholesomeThe "Urn of Fate" (Urna della Fortuna) is a cherished Christmas tradition in many Italian households. On Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, a large bowl or urn filled with wrapped gifts is brought out. Family members take turns drawing presents from the urn, with some packages containing real gifts and others holding funny items or nothing at all, adding an element of chance and laughter to the festivities.412k
WholesomeIn Finland, Valentine's Day is called "Ystävänpäivä" which translates into "Friend's day".321k
WholesomeIf you die in Amsterdam with no next of kin and no-one to attend your funeral, a poet will write a poem for you and recite it at your funeral.213k