When I was a kid, my rather superstitious mother would tell me she liked years that ended on even numbers. She felt this somehow imparted the quality that the upcoming year would be a good one as a result of the even numbers. She also felt that putting shoes on a table or cutting a piece of thread from clothing while wearing it was bad luck, or, in Yiddish, a Kenahorah (pronounced kun-a-HURA).

A Kenahorah can also be thought of as the “evil eye,” something to stay far away from. It was also a bad idea to say things that were too positive or happy. My even more superstitious grandmother would pretend to insult my siblings and me to prevent bad luck from coming. The other way to get out of bad luck would be to simulate spitting three times by saying, “Poo poo poo.” For example, if I happened to be dressed up one day my non-superstitious father might say, “You look handsome,” and my grandmother would scurry in having overheard (as she often seemed to) and would exclaim, “Don’t say such things; it’s a kenahorah, poo poo poo.”

I always felt these types of things were ridiculous superstitions with historical or scientific explanations. For instance, leaving shoes on the kitchen table is obviously a dirty thing to do contaminating the surface in which we eat and potentially inviting contaminants into our food.

Of course, now as I’ve gotten a little older (43-years-old as a write this) I do find myself with my own small superstitions. I have a particular scrub cap that I haven’t worn in about two years (though I still carry it in my bag). The last time I wore the cap I had a bad surgical experience, and since then I just can’t bring myself to wear the cap. Ridiculous, I know.

In honor of the New Year here are some superstitions to consider (all found off of various internet sites):