This week we look at superstitions in Spain… thanks to the lovely Maxine Raynor. Enjoy!
For once I managed to get a question right on a Spanish quiz show, but to be honest I had a small advantage. The question was: How many lives does an English cat have? Seeing the total confusion on the faces of the contestants, you should have seen me jumping up and down and shouting NINE, THE ANSWER IS NINE!
Now for anyone who doesn’t know what I’m talking about it turns out that Spanish cats only have seven lives, somewhere over history they’ve been done out of a couple (or maybe they’re just unluckier than English cats).
Talking about cats, it gets confusing whether black cats are lucky as some people consider black cats to be a sign of good luck, but not in Spain.
What other Spanish superstitions don’t coincide with Anglo-Saxon traditions? Well, we could take Friday the 13th as a good example, in Spain the unlucky day is Tuesday 13th. If you are superstitious you’re in luck – Friday the 13th won’t affect you in Spain and if it happens to be Tuesday 13th, well you’re foreign aren’t you!
Some years ago a friend in Spain had a baby and during a visit to the UK I bought some cute yellow clothes as a gift. Never do this in Spain, as you’ll be given the evil eye; superstition dictates that you shouldn’t give anyone yellow clothing, as this is bad luck. This supposedly comes from the idea that this colour represents sulphur and the Devil.
Also don’t buy family or friends something that cuts as a gift, such as knives or scissors; tradition says that this means that the relationship will be broken (so definitely a big no as a wedding gift!).
The theatre has always been associated with tradition and in Spanish, as in English, you can hear “break a leg” (rómpete la pierna) on opening night. Maybe what you didn’t know is that in Spain they also say “mucha mierda” (a lot of s***).
If you were in Spain on 31 December, did you have your 12 grapes at midnight (one with each chime of the clock)? Apparently this tradition dates back around 100 years when there was a bumper grape harvest. You’re also supposed to see the New Year in with red underwear. If you did neither, I can only suggest that you start looking for a four leaved clover…
Spain’s Christmas lottery is also surrounded by superstition and people will queue for hours at some of the more popular places to buy their ticket such as La Bruixa d’Or in Lleida or Doña Manolita in Madrid. Even though you can reserve your favourite number online, many still prefer to buy it from a specific lottery vendor in the belief that this will bring them good luck. The owner of La Bruixa d’Or says he doesn’t believe in luck, however they’ve sold over 30 major prizes since 1994, with three of these being El Gordo (the first prize in Spain’s Christmas lottery).
These are just some of the superstitions that you can come across in Spain, with many more local to the area you live in. Have you come across any that you found strange?
Maxine Raynor has lived in Spain since 1987. She currently runs the website MoneySaverSpain.com when not sniggering at Google translated Spanish websites!
January 23, 2014 @ 11:29 am
But, why do actors say “mucha mierda”? Because when patrons went to the theatre in horse-drawn carriages having a lot of horse-shit in the streets meant you had a big audience.
January 23, 2014 @ 11:33 am
When asked to “pass the salt”, you should never “hand” it to them directly, rather it should be left on the table in front of them. Ladies, if you leave your handbag directly on the ground or floor all your money will drain away.
January 23, 2014 @ 11:59 am
Ladies, if you leave your handbags on the floor in public, your money will surely be taken! Spanish superstitions get me every time!
January 26, 2014 @ 9:27 am
I’ve fallen for them myself… and I didn’t know the handbag one until quite recently. E x
January 23, 2014 @ 3:03 pm
I don’t think stitions are super, or the ordinary sort either but then I don’t think at all……
January 23, 2014 @ 4:50 pm
There’s always one isn’t there eh? ;)
E x
January 23, 2014 @ 3:57 pm
What interesting superstitions! We have plenty of our own, lol.
January 26, 2014 @ 9:26 am
Don’t we just?! E x
January 23, 2014 @ 6:15 pm
I grew up in the US with the salt passing and no knives as gifts (unless you tape a penny to it.) I was just told yesterday that if a pregnant woman sees a particular food and wants it, but doesn’t eat it, the baby will have a birthmark in that shape.
January 26, 2014 @ 9:26 am
Never heard of taping a penny to a knife… or the pregnant lady one – fascinating! E x
January 29, 2014 @ 5:41 pm
I have always been told never give knives as a gift and I am English! Not heard about the penny being taped to it but I certainly put a coin in every purse when not in use!
January 29, 2014 @ 6:43 pm
Oh yes – the penny in a purse trick! That reminds me of my childhood. x
January 25, 2014 @ 9:33 pm
You definitely have to tread carefully when you don’t know a country’s superstitions. In Japan it’s the number four, synonymous with death because of how the word sounds. Teacups are sold in sets of five — and you don’t want a hospital room on the fourth floor (if a hospital is so foolish as to have a floor labeled four).
January 26, 2014 @ 9:25 am
It’s bizarre isn’t it? I’ve always said I’m not superstitious… but I think most of us are if we’re completely honest… even a little. E x
January 27, 2014 @ 3:43 am
i like learning about superstitions in other countries. It provides such a unique insight into the culture. I can’t wait to sport my red underwear on New Years!
January 27, 2014 @ 9:52 am
It’s interesting isn’t it? I do have a set of red undies… but nobody would see them ha ha!
Elle x
February 6, 2020 @ 5:55 pm
Sorry ladies, but has to be New red undies, which are thrown away on New Year’s day. Or so I have been told
June 13, 2014 @ 6:39 pm
One should never do make a toast with a drink (brindar) in Spain with water. That too is bad luck
June 13, 2014 @ 6:48 pm
Hadn’t heard that one – thanks Ian! x
April 12, 2016 @ 10:21 pm
Interesting. We were never given anything sharp as a gift we always had to give a copper coin in exchange effectively buying it.
August 31, 2016 @ 8:44 pm
My only bad car accident was in a yellow car, When I told this to a Spanish man, he told me that you couldn’t buy a yellow car in Spain, because the colour was unlucky. This was in the 90s. Never heard anyone else say this, but I had to agree!
August 31, 2016 @ 10:04 pm
I hadn’t thought about it – but you’re right… I’ve never seen a yellow car here!
February 6, 2020 @ 6:02 pm
Me neither! We had a yellow Ford Escort van once that we lined with carpet, installed an airbed and curtains and used to camp in, when it was needed for that. It got written off when some idiot came up on half on the pavement on the Inside, when we were turning left! Maybe if we had known about yellow we would have repainted it! Lol