We attended the Dante Alighieri meeting & Pasta bash as guest of Dr. Nick Minotti.
Nick gave a presentation on the superstitions of Italians. It was very entertaining and well done.
My father, being a very strict catholic, was not superstitious. Still, listening to Nick, reminded me of a few stories from Grandparents. I think my mom did the throw salt over your shoulder thing (if you spilled salt) My cousin Signe mentioned that she never puts a hat on the bed. This is actually an interesting one...Remember seeing photos of priests always wearing a hat (many years ago). The only time they removed the hat was to give the Last Rites.
Don't have your bed facing the door.
Don't put loaf of bread upside down. It is disrespectful to the Lord.
There was the don't walk under a ladder and black cat superstitions.
The evil eye is interesting...Peacock feathers ...evil eye. Green eyes....oooh scary. Old ladies...scary.
Well I'm sorry, our bed faces the door, If I bake bread I have to put it upside down to remove it from baking pan, I love peacock feathers, I'm an old lady and I have green eyes....Be careful. Don't mess with me!
I have many superstitions, and I am the tiniest bit obsessive about them. Some are genuine folk superstitions, and others are my own invention. When in high school, my mom bought me a really nice summer dress. I wore it on a date, and had a hideous time. We both agreed that it was probably the fault of the dress (actually a skirt and top) and that I should never wear it again. I guess my mom was as silly as I am. I never did wear it again. I had another awful experience in later life, and never would again wear the outfit I was wearing that day either.
ReplyDeleteIt was fun to meet your cellist last night! Talk about coincidence!
Apparently, that was the wrong cellist. The one at the meeting is a friend of Eileen. Oh well, it was fun talking to the wrong ones!
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