Breaking a mirror brings bad luck, it is said, a black cat crossing your path brings good fortune, and you should never walk under a ladder if you don’t want to tempt fate.
But there are many more age-old superstitions that are in danger of dying out.
Below are just some of the stranger superstitions that were once widely believed in Britain but few people today have heard of, let alone believe.
They include the reason why you should always break the bottom of the shell after finishing a soft-boiled egg, and why you should never put new shoes on a table.
Some of them have historic roots, from acts of chivalry to mining tragedies, but the source of other superstitions has been obscured by the mists of time.
Have you heard of any of these old superstitions, and are there any others you remember hearing from your parents or grandparents?
5. Don't let those witches set sail in your eggshell
As superstitions go, this is one of the stranger ones, with many variations on the theme. Several people recall being told that when you finish a soft-boiled egg, you must break the bottom of the shell. If you don't, a witch will set out to see in it, apparently. There are various theories about what they'll do out at sea, with some saying they will sink sailors' boats. Quite why they need an eggshell boat if they have a perfectly good broom is another matter. | Getty Images Photo: Chaloner Woods
6. Never give someone a purse without money inside
If you're giving someone a purse, wallet or any other money receptacle, you should always place a coin inside first, it is said. Fail to do so, the superstition goes, and you could land them with money woes. If someone gives you a knife, meanwhile, you're supposed to give them a penny to ward off bad luck, or you risk 'cutting' your friendship. | Getty Images Photo: Hulton Archive
7. Hold your collar if you see an ambulance
When you see an ambulance, superstitious types say you must hold your collar until you see a dog if you want to avoid bad luck. Some people say any four-legged creature will do. Others say you have to recite the following words: "Touch my collar, touch my toe, in that van I will not go." | Getty Images Photo: R. Mathews/BIPs
8. Never walk over three manhole covers
Some people believe it's bad luck to walk over three manhole covers. If you do, they say, you have to spin around three times to undo the bad luck. | Getty Images Photo: George Marks/Retrofile