Do you throw salt over your shoulder for good luck?
By maddysmommy
@maddysmommy (16230)
United States
March 1, 2008 12:40pm CST
I watched a glimpse of Racheal Ray's cooking show yesterday and noticed she threw salt over her shoulder twice when adding salt to a few of her dishes, and said "for good luck"!!
Do you do that? do you believe you will have good luck if you threw salt over your shoulder? Is this an old wives tale?
5 people like this
13 responses
@theprogamer (10534)
• United States
28 Mar 08
No, but I've thrown salt in doorways though for good luck (which stems from an ancient ritual of purification in another culture).
1 person likes this
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
28 Mar 08
Really, that does sound interesting. Which culture does this?
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
29 Mar 08
Really? I should ask my mother in law whether she knows anything about this. She is Japanese American.
@theprogamer (10534)
• United States
28 Mar 08
Japan does this, and it mostly stems from Shintoism.
1 person likes this
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
12 Mar 08
nope, I do not see how having to sweep up salt grains off the floor is conducive to good luck, personally.
I do however hear that if you throw salt on a spill in the oven (over flow from your pie type of thing) that the salt will absorb the spill and make clean up a breeze. This sounds more like a good *luck* practice.
1 person likes this
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
12 Mar 08
I had never heard it either Modestah and was surprised to see it on tv. As for a throwing salt on a spill in the oven, I'll have to try that next time and see whether it works :) thanks!
@youless (112091)
• Guangzhou, China
28 Mar 08
That's very interesting to hear that. We don't have such kind of custom here. I don't do anything for a good luck. In the past when I had important exams. I would tell my mom to remember me all the time and believed that her daughter would pass it well
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
28 Mar 08
I had not heard anything like that before youless until I saw this celebrity do it on her cooking show on tv. I don't do anything for good luck either except probably pray :)
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
3 Mar 08
Yup I figured it was and had to ask. I was surprise I saw it being done on TV.
@manya_pearl (1901)
• Singapore
22 Mar 08
No, i'm not believe in superstition like that. I believe only superstition like magic or ghost etc. I heard also accessories made by gemstones have a healing power or any other spiritual power. I dont know if its true.
1 person likes this
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
28 Mar 08
Really? gemstones have healing powers? interesting, I had not heard that before!
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
1 Mar 08
hahaha I figured it was an old wives tale. I wonder how many people actually do it?
@dfinster (3528)
• United States
1 Mar 08
Hi maddymommy, this is so weird but I started a discussion about superstitions just a few minutes ago. I didn't see discussions my friends posted until after I posted my discussion. Yes, I throw salt over my shoulder and have a few other little quirks, LOL. I don't know if the luck thing is really true but that's why I do it, can't hurt anything, right.~D
1 person likes this
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
1 Mar 08
Thats ok dfinster :) your discussion is not only just on throwing salt but other superstitions too, so it's all good.
Yeah it couldn't hurt - I might just remember that next time I spill salt :) who knows whether good luck will come my way, I kinda need some right about now LOL thanks for posting.
@gandatwo (602)
• Australia
1 Mar 08
I use too, it is only superstition,a belief or idea based on this.If you strongly believe such it then I feel will effect you.The mind is a powerful thing,these days I walk under ladders,place shoes on tables,and no longer throw salt over my shoulder,and I am still alive and well...lol
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
1 Mar 08
haha I figured it was a superstition and just wanted to hear whether others do it. I found it strange to be honest LOL The only thing I don't do is walk under ladders - not sure why I still do that to this day actually as nothing has ever happened to me :) thanks for your response gandatwo.
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
4 Mar 08
Me too. I had not heard of it until I saw it on TV. There are some people that do believe it in though :)
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
2 Mar 08
Nah... haven't tried that even once.
If I throw salt over my shoulder, who's gonna clean away the salt? I would just dirty the place and I need to throw then immediately sweep away again.
Sounds so duh.:P
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
2 Mar 08
Well believe it or not some people are superstitious and do throw a pinch of salt over their shoulder if they spilt any beforehand so not so duh for some!!
@mummymo (23706)
•
2 Mar 08
It is an old wives superstition that if you spill salt you should throw a little over your (left I think) shoulder for good luck. I am not superstitious though so I neve do it - knowing my luck it would blind someone who walked into the room behind me! xxx
1 person likes this
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
3 Mar 08
Yup its funny how a few people believe in it though :)
@luvstochat (6907)
• United States
1 Mar 08
I was always told that if you spilled the salt you were suppose to throw some over your shoulder to prevent bad luck. I have never heard of just doing it while you were cooking for good luck. I need all the good luck I can get so I will have to start doing that.
1 person likes this
@maddysmommy (16230)
• United States
1 Mar 08
Oh so it's when you spill the salt and it's to prevent bad luck, ok that makes a little sense I think. I'm not sure if she spilt it or not - she may have you know!
I only caught a glimpse of her throwing salt over her shoulder. I may have heard her wrong too.