name popular superstitions?

Answer 1

If you break a mirror you have seven years of bad luck.
You have bad luck if a black cat crosses your path.
If you walk under a ladder then you break the Holy Trinity and you will have bad luck.
Don't open an umbrella indoors.
If you spill salt, through some over your shoulder.
Knock on wood so as not to jinx your luck.
Say bless you went someone sneezes to ward off the plague.

Answer 2

Jess did a great job of hitting all the top superstitions.
I would add
Not stepping on sidewalk cracks ("step on a crack, break you mother's back")

Not spilling salt... if you do you're supposed to throw a pinch of the spilled salt over your left shoulder to hit the Devil in the eye.

Not letting cats near babies (from the erroneous belief they "suck the breath" out of sleeping babies... not physically possible, by the way. Cats would sniff at the milk on babies mouths and when some of those children died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, the grieving family would think the cat did it... go figure)

Crossing your fingers behind your back when you tell a lie (Early Christians forced to recant their faith or die would do this to indicate they were recanting in words only)

Being the first to say "jinx" when you say something at the same time someone else does.

If your nose itches/ears are hot someone is talking about you.

If you get a chill someone is walking on your grave (or, rather, where your grave will be dug in the future)

See what other ones people remember should be fun!

Answer 3

Never leave shoes on the bed.

Also, we always held our breath going through tunnels and always when driving past big trucks carrying bales of hay. This was to make wishes come true so not sure if that qualifies as a superstition.

Answer 4

If you hold your breath as you pass a cemetary, you'll live an extra day.