New year, new you – right? Heck no – we like you just the way you are! If you are rolling into 2017 with an optimistic approach on your journey ahead, remember that even a little added good luck won’t hurt. Although some of these superstitions are sure to make you laugh out loud, others might just end up being your one-way ticket to prosperity in the New Year.
Don’t you dare bring that banana on the boat.
Dating back hundreds of years, bananas have been seen as bad luck on boats. Apparently, the reason behind this superstition is that ships were disappearing out of nowhere due to deadly spider bites to humans on-board. The spiders were brought in with the cases of bananas, and the ships were never seen or heard from again. So, even if you have a single banana, just don’t bring it on-board this season and everyone around you will be happy. Kapeesh?
But if you’re a lady, your best bet is to only brave the sea in your birthday suit.
Trust us, we couldn’t refrain from laughing out loud at this one. However, traditional views for centuries believed that women had no place at sea because they weren’t ‘strong enough.’ They were said to be distracting to the men and it was thought that they would anger the seas and end up dooming the ship. Then, somehow, it was noted that a naked woman would calm the seas. This is part of the reason why many boats are named after women and/or have bare breasted figures of a woman on the bow.
If you’re getting ready to hit the salt, don’t forget to bring a bottle of wine.
It is said that pouring wine on the deck will bring good luck on a long voyage. It serves as an offering to the gods. Cheers!
Whatever you do, don’t leave port on a Friday.
That’s right folks, its bad luck to leave port on a Friday. You know why? Two words: The Titanic. You have six other days to set sail, so, whatever you do, don’t let history repeat itself.
When the Northern Lights are out, be sure you don’t whistle at them.
There is an old wives tale that says if you whistle at the Aurora Borealis, they will snatch you up. Some people even report saying that they know others who’ve disappeared after doing so. So, zip it!
If it’s your first time hunting moose, be prepared to give the meat away.
In small Alaskan communities (otherwise known as villages or ‘the bush’) it is customary to give away all the meat from your first meat kill to the community. Because subsistence practices are a way of life in Alaska, this generally applies to kids as they start hunting very young. The idea is that the kids give the meat away as a way of paying respect to their neighbors and to their elders, who can then stock their freezers.
"Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky in the morning, sailor's warning."
Let the sky be your guide to wealth, luck and happiness in 2017!
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