Do you believe in superstitions?

These are only superstitions:

Photo by [demondimum] morgueFile

Scissors….What a wonderful tool these things are, but just like everything else, they are loaded with superstitious beliefs.Superstitious beliefs about scissors are not commonly heard, but since scissors are made of metal and have the ability to cut or slice it makes them quite powerful among the superstitious community.

Scissors must be handled carefully because using them half hazardly could lead to the destruction of one’s luck.

Superstitions Associated with Dropping Scissors

Dropping a pair of scissors is very bad luck, but what’s even worse is when they stick in the ground or floor when dropped.

Some believe that when scissors are dropped and they stick into the ground or floor, this is symbolic of a Death Omen, this means someone you know may soon die.

There are variations of this from region to region. In some parts of the world when both points of the scissors stick this means a wedding is sure to follow. Where as one point sticking means a funeral is near.

It’s also said that if you drop the scissors, you should never attempt to retrieve them. It’s important to ask a friend to pick them up for you. If no friend is available, then the only alternative is to walk or stomp on them before touching them. To be sure it is safe to use them again after a drop, warm the scissors between your hands first.

You must also be sure the scissors do not come apart while using them, or you will most certainly receive bad luck.

Scissors, the Superstitious Gift

Many will swear that giving scissors as a gift is a bad omen. Never receive the gift of scissors unless you have compensated the person for them. So buying scissors is safe, receiving them as a gift is not.

The damage inflicted by receiving scissors as a gift will be a severed friendship between the giver and receiver.

Protected by Scissors

Scissors are not always a dangerous item in the superstitious world. They are also believed to be an item of protection when dealing with witches. In times past, scissors were even placed under doormats to protect the home, this would keep evil spirits at bay. But they were usually place under the doormat in the open position so they represented the shape of a cross. We spoke about this briefly in my post Iron and it’s Many Superstitions if you’d like to refer there for more information on superstitions concerning metal objects.

One more interesting superstition about scissors comes from Africa. Africans believed that opening and closing a pair of scissors during a wedding would cause the groom to become impotent.

There is a huge world of superstitions out there to discover and I truly enjoy researching these types of things. If you have anything to add to the superstitious beliefs about scissors feel free in the comments below.