My mother also refused to have lilac indoors. Such a shame because it's beautiful. As for the magpies, whenever I see a single one the first line of the old saying always pops unbidden into my head: One for sorrow.
Try as I might I cannot stop this so constantly look for a second one: two for joy.

You must never pick the pretty Lady's Smock either as your house will be hit by lightning. In my case I pranged the new car - isn't a car considered an extension of your home? It cost £900 to repair!

Oh, and some say picking snowdrops and taking those indoors are unlucky too. It's a good thing there are plenty of other flowers we can pick.

Superstition is the devil, isn't it, especially when you've been brought up with it?

I agree about the lilac.....

As for magpies "Morning Captain Jack, hows the wife?"
Now where did That come from?....

We have lots of magpies round here and never speak to them - nothing awful has happened so far. The only problem with taking lilac into the house is the leaves droop - just remove the leaves and use some other greenery instead.

The horse would have shied if any other bird had flown out in the same way - I knew a horse that would shy if it passed a piece of newspaper. Free yourself up and stop worrying!

Having said that, I do (very quietly) apologise to the elder tee when I have to cut a branch off...

Superstition is just that...

Just seen Sheilabub's latest blog - there's a photo of a sprig of lilac in a vase on the windowsill - looks lovely.

All these superstitions! Waste of time (she said as she smashed the mirror, walking under the ladder, tripping over the magpie, letting the black cat cross her path, picking lilac and yew and bringing it into the house)! I shall be back home from hospital in three weeks!!

We are keeping our fingers crossed for you...

You forgot 'no new shoes on tables', not opening an umbrella inside the house, never picking up a knife you've dropped yourself instead asking someone else to pick it up Cammomile... But it can be quite hard for a person to over ride early brainwashing of this sort.

The only two that might make practical sense are these - not walking under a stepladder (there might be a paintpot and a person at the top which could fall on you or splash paint) and just possibly, asking someone else to pick up a knife you've dropped, on the assumption that, because you dropped it, you're too shaky/old/ill to risk picking it up yourself. All the rest are absolute nonsense... And on the understanding that superstitious people are terrified of Friday the 13th, let me just add that I look forward enormously to them - they always seem to be extra good days for me. Which is also, probably, nonsense, its likely just my perception. I'd forgotten that thing about black cats, but as I had a black cat for nearly 19 years, she probably crossed my path thousands of times ...

The superstition about bringing lilac indoors is not confined to lilac - originally it was about any spring blossom of any sort, so cherry blossom, bluebells, forsythia, any of those. Said to be a superstition spread by Victorian gardeners in manor houses to stop the locals nicking blossoms, specially fruit tree blossoms and 'exotic' (at the time) lilac blossoms.

Daft isn't it? My mum always said that if you bought someone a new purse or wallet you should put some money in it and if you gave someone new gloves they should give you some money. If I followed all of these oddities I'd become obsessive compulsive and get nothing done.

In Sheffield if you give someone a knife for a present they should pay you (it used to be a ha'penny...) or it would cut the friendship. This might have died the death along with the cutlery manufacturers now.

Well, well, the thing about putting a coin in a new purse if its a present for someone I have done - but not because of superstition, simply because its customary, or so I thought. I shall stop doing it forthwith if its superstition...

And I've never heard of the money and new gloves nor the knife cutting friendships... so that presumably means, we're all doing 'unlucky' things all the time without knowing we are! On the other hand, I frequently do the 'touch wood' thing when speaking of something that could go either way, though these days, its often hard to find any real wood indoors, most of its MDF, but my doors are wood at least... I often just say it without even touching any wood, they way you do with fingers crossed. Neither of 'em work anyway, I've not won the lottery yet, despite crossing fingers and touching wood, lol!

Hi they all ways say touch wood no good.touch iron rely on.and an old chap once told me a superstitious person is a person with a weak mind.

Isn't it great to hear all the old tales of what to do and what not to do? We were always told not to bring May (hawthorn) into the house. I know the one about Elder, probably apologizing as it's a witches tree!
As for Friday the 13th (as just gone) it was my wedding anniversary and we have been married for 28 years, so it brought us no bad luck.

Friday 13th is supposed to be unlucky because there were 13 people at The Last Supper and Christ was crucified on Good Friday. So if you're an aetheist, it doesn't apply.

Love it Cammomile so funny. I think Kenny boy is very wrong though and Bamboo yes you are righ,t it was early years listening to my gran, she even told me that earry wigs crawl into your ear. I will say i am not that superstitious just with the lilac and the Magpies. Sometimes I just cant be bothered, so perhaps i will bring a sprig or too in. No one mentioned a key down your back to stop hiccups, anyway moving on, can I put my runner beans out yet? I watched Monty Don about the Peas today, but I am un sure if it is to early for my runners as they are running away as we speak. It is quite a windy site, any ideas guys?

Andrewr: I know that's the original source, but it never made sense to me - if you have religion, why would you need to indulge in superstition...

I can't answer about the peas, Lilac wine, but I'm sure someone else will.

Where do you live in the UK Lilac wine? It makes a difference as to when runner beans can go out.

I live in North Suffolk Moon growe

Popping a paper bag in our house was considered very unlucky, my dad always said that each time that happened someone got the sack from their job, as we got a clip around the ear if caught doing it then yes its mega unlucky as far as I'm concerned, he was terrible and I can associate with many of the above, dad would always knock any box on the floor if it looked like a shoebox, never ever asked first it it was shoes, he was a terror with many superstitions, a dropped knife one never picked up until someone stood on it first, now that one I have never found a reason for but 13 he said was good for him as when waiting for years to get a council house after the war he was allocated number 13 ..
My saying is "Good Morning Mr Magpie, how is your family today?" don't think its bad luck when seeing them later in the day, lol....
My beans were going very leggy in the g'house Lilac so I stood them outside in a sheltered spot for a couple of days and then popped them into the garden, that was two weeks ago, its since turned very cold but they seem fine, I'm Lincs/ Rutland border...

I once watched a film years ago about a woman having an affair and her husband paid a chap to put an ear wig in her lovers ear and as they cannot turn round there was only one way out. straight through drove him insane in the end.which bit am i wrong on.

Kennyboy - a load of faeces!

Hi Lilac, I'd give it a week or two yet... any frost will kill them off, or be prepared to cover with fleece if needed.