Being a Latina, I know just how extra we can be. I don’t necessarily mean that in a bad way, but come on, there are just some things we have to step up to the plate and admit! We’re extra in terms of being extra loud, we're extra with our spiciness, we're extra dramatic and we are extra with our superstitions that have been passed down for years.
Seriously, I wonder where these superstitions came from. I know I’m not a believer in them, but I cannot help but laugh at them. There’s no scientific proof that anything is true, but let’s just go over some:
1. Hiccups? Put a red thread on the baby’s forehead.
Yes, you read that correctly. I was not aware of this one until I was in Mexico with my newborn nephew. He got hiccups and the first thing my cousin did was look for a red thread. She licked it and then placed it on his forehead. I was so confused on by what she was doing. I remember that I was staring at my nephew, waiting for the magic to kick in. His hiccups did not go away, yet my family kept trying. I wonder if I’m going to the same when I have a kid.
2. Aloe Vera to absorb any bad vibes
I’ve heard of people putting aloe vera plants outside of their doors so that the plant can protect them and their families from poor energy, envy or any sort of negativity. They say that the plant sometimes even dries up and dies if the person outside the door is just full of bad energy. I mean, we don’t need a plant to tell us that. It’s all in our natural instinct, and we should know what kind of person we are letting through our door.
3. Dropping salt = bad luck
So my mom went above and beyond when I accidentally dropped the salt shaker once. She gasped and told me that I was going to have bad luck. She was so extra that she even drew a cross on the fallen salt. I don’t recall having any bad luck the following days or know if it's something that’s supposed to happen later. I guess I’m just going to keep waiting to see if life throws something at me for accidentally dropping the salt shaker.
4. Evil eye if you don't carry a baby
We’ve all done it once: we’re at a restaurant and see a baby and start playing peekaboo or wave "hi" at the baby. Well, Latinos do not roll this way. If you see a baby and you feel like carrying or touching him or her, you should do it because if you don’t you’ll give the child the evil eye. This is why you see Latino babies with red bracelets to prevent any sort of negativism in their young lives.5. Pregnant during an eclipse?
Latinas do not play around when there is an eclipse while they’re pregnant. Legend says that if the pregnant women do not put on a safety pin or red item, then the moon or sun will eat a piece of the baby’s lip. I think this one is one of the most bizarre superstitions out there. I am pretty sure that cleft lip is not caused by an eclipse.
6. Knock on wood to prevent bad events from happening
I swear when my mom, cousins and aunts are telling me something that involves any sort of bad outcome, they will all knock on wood to stop it from happening. Even if it's a simple dream they had, they will knock on the closest piece of wood to them. In that case, we should all be knocking on wood to have a less stressful life.
7. Underwear on New Years
Let's put our faith in the color of our underwear to determine our love and financial status for the coming year. If you wear red underwear then love will knock on your door, and if you wear yellow underwear your pockets will grow. I kid you not, some people will layer on both colors to guarantee to have both in the year. So now you know, if you're lacking either love or money, do not go out to meet people or get a job, just wear the proper underwear.
