Step on a Crack Trivia Quiz

Answer: Keep lightning out

Believed to have originated in northern Europe, the idea of acorns as objects of good luck has been passed down for generations. The Norse legend of Thor says he took shelter under an oak tree during a storm, which may have led to the idea that acorns provided protection from lightning.

It was very popular to use the acorn design around windows. It was thought that carrying an acorn in your pocket would give you a long life.

Answer: Hat

Laying your hat on your bed was considered bad luck in many parts of North America and Europe for centuries. Some of the explanations for this superstition involve the possible transfer of head lice to the bed from the hat or the idea that bad spirits would hide in peoples hair.

But it is more likely that this superstition arose from death rites for monarch. When a king died, his crown was often placed atop the coffin during the funeral rites. In some European cultures that same crown was then transferred onto the monarchs bed until such a time as a new monarch was crowned.

The hat/crown laying on a bed became a symbol of death.

Answer: Chimney sweep

The idea of the lucky chimney sweep may have started in the Victorian era. Many chimney sweeps offer the service of coming to a wedding to provide good luck. They usually show up in a Victorian era costume complete with top hat and chimney broom. The sweep usually concludes this visit with a good luck kiss for the bride.

The idea that a chimney sweep is lucky may have started when a chimney sweep is thought to have saved the life of a British king when his horse bolted. In Germany, when you pass a chimney sweep it thought that rubbing one of your buttons as you pass him will bring you good luck.

Answer: It will cause ten more to grow in its place

The exact origin of this belief is not known. It is completely false as each follicle can only grow one hair at a time no matter what color the hair is. There are many superstitions surrounding hair. Some areas in India believe that wearing your hair in a low braid helps in grow faster.

Some Native American tribes believe that your hair is imbued with your spirit, and when you trim it, you should bury it.

Answer: Bury all of the pieces of glass during a full moon

The origin of this superstition can be traced back to the Romans, who are believed to have been the first to created glass mirrors. Many early cultures believed that mirrors had the power to confiscate part of the user's soul. Breaking the mirror would cause bad luck, ill health, and/or death.

It was thought that if you used a new shovel to bury the broken mirror under a tree would prevent the bad luck from occurring. But only if done during a full moon. As with most superstitions, there are many variations to this idea.

Answer: Open it inside

Tradition tells us that to open an umbrella up inside a home is to invite bad luck on all people who live in the residence. One of the most popularly quoted origins for this superstition lies with the fact that the umbrella was originally designed as protection from the sun and not the rain. Opening an umbrella indoors was thought to be an insult to the sun.

A few more superstitions concerning umbrellas include: Dropping an umbrella inside a home will cause a murder, it is unlucky to give an umbrella as a gift, and a dropped umbrella should never be picked up by the person who dropped it.

Answer: Never leave an empty rocking chair rocking; it invites evil spirits into the home

This superstition, which may have its origins in the country of Ireland, holds that allowing an empty rocking chair to rock is an invitation for evil spirits and possibly even death to come and sit in it and invade the home. It is possible that this superstition, like ones about broomsticks, cats and knitting were associated with old woman and therefore, the thinking went, to witches.

Answer: Opal

It is possible that there are more superstitions about opals than there are about any other gemstone. One of the most common is associated with the zodiac and says that unless you are born in October, it is bad luck for you to wear an opal. Others include: An opal will lose its shine if the owner dies, improves the wearers eyesight, and that it will turn pale when in the presence of poison.

These are just a few, there are many more.

Answer: It is bad luck to light three cigarettes with one match

The idea of "three on a match" being bad luck is thought to have started with soldiers. The idea was that if three soldiers lit a cigarette off of one match one of them would be killed. Most variations of this superstition add that it is this third person to get a light who will be killed.

There is the theory that by the time the third person managed to light his cigarette, the enemy had enough time to aim and shoot his opponent, which was most likely going to be the third soldier. Even today many people will not be the third on a match, much in the same way some people still throw spilled salt over their shoulders, or are extra careful on Friday the 13th.

Answer: False

The exact origin of this phrase is believed to be English in origin. Some scholars believe this superstition started at a time when people thought that cracks in the ground or pavement led directly to the underworld and that by stepping on a crack an evil demon was released and would bring ill health and bad luck to anyone careless enough to step on one.