Why is opening an umbrella bad luck

Anyone standing nearby was in danger of a smack by umbrella tines. And that fragile vase that had been in the family for generations? Easily toppled to the floor by an ill-timed umbrella deployment. Because opening an umbrella indoors often resulted in negative consequences, this encouraged a superstition first whispered by ancient Egyptians.

Egyptian nobility were protected from the sun not the rain with umbrellas made of papyrus and peacock feathers. Because the umbrellas were designed to mimic the goddess who formed the sky, their shade was sacred. Anyone who allowed the shade of a royal umbrella to fall upon them had to be royalty. Otherwise, they were considered a bearer of bad luck.

Another school of thought contends that opening an umbrella indoors will upset a home's good spirits. In "Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things" Harper, , the scientist and author Charles Panati wrote: "In eighteenth-century London, when metal-spoked waterproof umbrellas began to become a common rainy-day sight, their stiff, clumsy spring mechanism made them veritable hazards to open indoors. A rigidly spoked umbrella, opening suddenly in a small room, could seriously injure an adult or a child, or shatter a frangible object.

Even a minor accident could provoke unpleasant words or a minor quarrel, themselves strokes of bad luck in a family or among friends. Thus, the superstition arose as a deterrent to opening an umbrella indoors. This superstition really does originate 5, years ago in ancient Egypt.

A ladder leaning against a wall forms a triangle, and Egyptians regarded this shape as sacred as exhibited, for example, by their pyramids. To them, triangles represented the trinity of the gods, and to pass through a triangle was to desecrate them. This belief wended its way up through the ages. Walking under a ladder courted misfortune. In England in the s, criminals were forced to walk under a ladder on their way to the gallows.

In ancient Greece, it was common for people to consult "mirror seers," who told their fortunes by analyzing their reflections. As the historian Milton Goldsmith explained in his book "Signs, Omens and Superstitions" , "divination was performed by means of water and a looking glass.

This was called catoptromancy. The mirror was dipped into the water and a sick person was asked to look into the glass. Some people believe it's only bad luck if the umbrella is black, was a gift, has never been used outdoors, or there's a sick person in the house! Other bad luck umbrella superstitions:. If you're not too scared after today's Wonder of the Day, be sure to explore one or more of the following activities with a friend or family member:.

Most superstitions have been handed down from generation to generation. We see where it would be uncool to open an umbrella inside--and possibly bad luck if it breaks, or breaks something, or hurts someone. Hello, keiontre! People might be offended because they think that opening an umbrella indoors is bad luck! To learn more about why, we hope that you check out this Wonder!! Hi, Dawn! Opening an umbrella indoors is a common superstition, or an irrational practice or belief that stems from a mistaken understanding of the cause of an event.

What are some other superstitions that you can think of? Hi, Cameron! We're glad that you have lots of good luck!! We hope that this Wonder helps explain more about the superstition of why it's bad luck to open an umbrella indoors. Well, if you're superstitious, then maybe.

We think you will probably be ok, though. But keep an eye on that little bro, just in case. Since this is a superstition passed down generations, it's difficult to pin-point what is defined as indoors.

Perhaps it means a space that is enclosed by 4 walls and a ceiling, which would be a house or other building. But with the invention of the automobile, could that count as well? We're not sure! We would love to hear your thoughts! That's not good, Ernest! We hope his luck turns around! Maybe you can share this Wonder with him! Hi, Laylea! We're glad everything was okay! Thanks for sharing your thoughts about superstitions!

Oh no, Kristina! We're so sorry to hear that! We hope you're okay! Thanks for stopping by Wonderopolis! Hi, Hira! It's only a superstition, but some people really believe it! We hope your bad luck didn't last long! Thanks for visiting Wonderopolis, Jalyssa! You're in luck because it's actually just a superstition! It is bad luck to open a umbrella indoors because of superstitious.

It is like karma. Karma is when you do something your not suppose to do and something bad comes back at you that is all superstitious coming at you.

Thanks for joining the conversation, Morgan! We appreciate you sharing your opinion! Check out Wonder What Is Karma? Hi, Wonder Friend! Thanks for sharing your opinion. Many do agree with you that it is only a myth and superstition! Ah man, JakeWolfeee! It's a bummer to break your phone! But most likely that wasn't a result of bad luck from opening the umbrella indoors.

Sometimes accidents just happen! That's right, Tsumiki! Opening up an umbrella indoors is just a superstition. Thanks for sharing with us today! Thanks for joining the discussion, jessie! It depends if you are superstitious or not! Everyone believes different things! We do not think that the superstition is true. Superstitions develop out of ideas about things that can't be explained easily.

Science helps us to understand what is really happening around us. Hi, Bella! Then, everyone in the Wonderopolis community will have an opportunity to vote for your Wonder Question. The most popular Wonder Questions will become written Wonders of the Day! Keep in mind that it may take a couple days for your Wonder Question to post because we get so many submissions.

However, you can always go through the list and vote for your favorite questions. Good Luck, Wonder Friend! We're so glad that you enjoyed this Wonder, Ari! Be sure to check back with us everyday for a new Wonder! We thought the video was funny, too! Custom Beach Balls. Custom Flying Toys. Custom Jump Ropes.

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