Old Wives Tales... Which do you find the craziest/funniest ?!

I think is't so funny that people believe this stuff..lol Knock three times on wood after mentioning good fortune so evil spirits won't ruin it. A watermelon will grow in your stomach if you swallow a watermelon seed. Keep cats away from babies because they "suck the breath" of the child. Pulling out a gray or white hair will cause ten more to grow in its place.

What about sitting too close to the TV? I have done this for years, and still do, and can still see my TV and computer.

I have heard so many silly old wives tales I have no idea which one is the silliest. It's good luck to find a four-leaf clover. Why would I even look? Clover protects human beings and animals from the spell of magicians and the wiles of fairies, and brings good luck to those who keep it in the house. It's bad luck to pick up a coin if it's tails side up. Good luck comes if it's heads up. I pick up all coins, because to me they are lucky if I find them!

I love old wives tales and I was brought up on a few. If you spill salt, take a pinch and throw it over your left shoulder. It will go in the devils eye! I used to do this. Peel an apple in one go, throw the peel on the floor and it will spell out the initial of the man you are going to marry. Bad luck runs in three's. I used to believe this and if I had misfortune I would wait for the next two things to happen! During the bombings in the second world war pregnant mothers were told never to touch their faces as the baby will be born with a birthmark on their face. My nan used to put her hands on her knees. What is weird is my mum has a birthmark on her knee that looks like an exploding bomb. Very odd!!! Its like they say don't eat strawberries when you are pregnant as your bay will have a birthmark. I am amazed we have survived with all these old wives tales lol!!!

this is a great discussion! I LOVE old wives tales and you know some of them are actually great cures that really work naturally. :) I remember doing this as a kid...I guess it would be considered an old wives tale...twist the stem off your apple and say the ABCs...whichever letter it lands on when the stem breaks off that is the first initial of the person's name you will marry. :) What about this...I know someone who was adament about this...ALWAYS get out of bed on the same side you get in or you will have bad luck! Great discussion. I can't wait to check back and see what others have remembered. I know that i know more, but can't think of them right now

Having to wait 30 minutes after you eat before swimming. i can't tell you how many times I eat almost imediatly before getting the pool. i haven't cramped and drown yet!

The craziest I hear and still hear is the one about thumb sucking causing crooked teeth or over bites in adult teeth. It can cause open bite but again not usually in adult teeth since most kids do not suck their thumb once they have adult ones. It amazes me how many still believe that it will cause over bites or crooked teeth though. Even my mother did until the orthodontist told her it was an old wives tale. That it doesn't cause it at all.

The one about the need for girls menstruating to avoid baths?! This is a bizarre old-wives tale. I was always told that a girl at "that time of the month" should avoid having a hot bath. Why exactly? No reason given. But it seems odd and bizarre and I would have thought that this is a time when hygeine needs to be attended to.

Okay, if you sit on the ground, you will get hemorrhoids (piles), I was 4 years ago, like I knew what they were talking about. This is from Grandma - if I don't listen to Mom and Dad AND I die, my hand will come out of the grave and stick out of the ground. AND Mom and Dad will have to whip it until I am appropriately punished. And you wondered what was wrong with me.