A superstition is a widely held belief in supernatural causation, like walking under a ladder is bad luck, for example. Friday the 13th is one of the most famous superstitions and in honor of the dubious date, I’m going to look into some strange superstitions from around the world.

In the United States, most superstitions result in bad luck. The most famous of these include seeing a black cat, opening an umbrella inside or not saying “knock on wood” after an absolute statement. In other countries, superstitions can result in specific consequences. In Germany, for example, if you cheers with water, you’re wishing death upon the people you’re drinking with.

Russia has its fair share of intense superstitions. If a bird flies into a house, it’s said to result in the loss of a leg…yes, the limb. But also in Russia, bird poop brings goodfortune. So, if a bird flies into your house and poops onyou, do they cancel each other out?

In India, you shouldn’t get a haircut on Tuesday—it’s bad luck. In 1933, Syria banned Yo-Yos in fear they would cause drought. In Rwanda, many women refrain from eating goat meat — it’s said to cause facial hair. This is just the start of a long list.

I’m not overly superstitious, but I think it’s interesting to look at strange superstitions from countries/cultures around the world. Hopefully this Friday the 13th doesn’t bring bad luck…knock on wood.