13 Unbelievable Superstitions Across The Globe That Are Believed To Bring Good Luck

Some superstitions sound like jokes until they start showing up in real life, like the Swiss couple who swears their post-wedding tree planting is the reason their home feels “fertile” and full of good energy.

Now picture the chaos of trying to get through a normal calendar in different places: Brits whisper “rabbit” before they even sit up, Argentinians load up on beans on New Year’s Eve, and at Japan’s Sensoji Temple, strangers line up at a giant incense burner like it’s a health ritual you’re supposed to walk through.

And once you notice how many people treat these tiny acts like luck switches, you start wondering which one would stick if it happened to you.

The Chinese word for eight bears resemblance to those for fortune and prosperity.

Anything associated with this number is considered auspicious.

Flickr / Marc Delforge

According to Swiss tradition, planting a tree outside one's home after marriage is believed to bestow good fortune and enhance fertility.

Flickr / falcon0125

In Argentinian tradition, consuming beans on New Year's Eve is believed to bring about success and ensure job security.

Flickr / stephalicious

When visiting Japan and exploring the Sensoji Temple, you'll encounter a sizable incense burner positioned outside the main entrance.

It's widely believed that passing through the smoke emitted from this ancient Buddhist temple enhances one's health and general well-being.

Flickr / keso s

The Brits say the word "rabbit" on the first day of the month before getting out of bed.

Originating in the early 20th century, this superstition is believed to bring good fortune for the upcoming month.

Flickr / Marit & Toomas Hinnosaar

Irish brides adorn their dresses with bells, a tradition believed to ward off malevolent spirits during the wedding ceremony.

Flickr / Clarissa de Wet

In Thailand, it is believed that surrogate phalluses bring good luck to men and boys.

Flickr / Mikel Aguirre

This also echoes the sister’s emotional support peacock, and the bird-phobic refusal that followed.

See why she wouldn’t host the peacock despite trying to support her sister.

With each toll of the bell, the Spanish eat one grape to ensure good fortune throughout the twelve months ahead.

Flickr / Stephen

Chinese tradition holds that good fortune enters through the front door, prompting people to ensure that the entryways of their homes remain clear of any dirt.

Flickr / Laurel F

The Danes throw dishes at people's homes to wish them good luck.

Flickr / Tobias Haase

If a bird poops on you, your home, or your car in Russia, expect financial luck coming your way.

Flickr / Dennis Yang

In Serbia, when individuals are gearing up for nerve-wracking occasions such as job interviews, friends and family customarily spill water behind them.

This act symbolizes tranquility during challenging moments, as water represents fluidity and calmness.

Flickr / Taro Taylor

Stepping on dog poop is such a bummer, but in France, if your left foot steps on it, luck is said to be on your side.

Conversely, stepping in it with your right foot is believed to bring bad luck.

Flickr / Bradley Gordon

The moment you hear about the Chinese belief that fortune enters through the front door, you can’t help noticing how everyone suddenly checks their entryway for dirt before anything else happens.

Then the story jumps to the Danes throwing dishes at people’s homes, which is a lot to process when you’re also trying to remember whether you’re supposed to be eating grapes in Spain.

Right when the Spanish grape countdown hits the twelve months ahead, Russia brings in the bird poop plot twist, and suddenly the whole street is watching where everyone walks.

By the time you get to Serbia spilling water behind people before job interviews and France arguing left foot versus right foot dog poop luck, it feels like the day has rules you never agreed to.</p>

It turns out that everyone else from around the world is just as quirky as we are. Even though these customs might seem illogical, there's no harm in partaking in rituals that ultimately bring a sense of comfort.

Does your country also have those good luck superstitions you frequently follow? And do they work?

Nobody wants to be the person who steps in the wrong pile and ruins the whole luck schedule.

That reminds me of the AITA fight over a friend adopting a pet snake and insisting you visit. Read how the snake owner’s demand backfired.