We all believe in something whether it’s lucky pennies or unlucky broken mirrors. With Saint Patrick’s Day and Friday the 13th so recent, superstitions are everywhere. But what if we’ve already broken a superstition unbeknownst to us. What if we’re unlucky forever? Here are some lesser known superstitions from around the world.

“Fan Death” (South Korea):

If you fall asleep with a fan on in a closed room, it’s possible that you could die. The fan is believed to cause poisoning, hypothermia, or asphyxiation.  

“Itchy Palms” (Kenya):

An itchy palm can determine whether financial change is near. If you left palm itches, wealth will come to you very soon. However, if your right palm itches, you could lose money. You should never scratch your palm because that could “chase away” the luck or “scratch” the money away.

“Don’t chew gum at night” (Turkey):

In this cautionary tale, you should never chew gum at night. Not because of jaw pain, but because past 12:00, it turns into flesh.

“Don’t rock an empty chair” (Irish Folklore/South US)

If you see a rocking chair, don’t rock it if it’s empty because it’s an invitation to spirits. If you see a rocking chair moving by itself, it may be because a spirit is already sitting there. Rocking the chair could also bring bad luck or death to the family.

“Tuck your thumbs in when you walk past a graveyard” (Japan):

If you pass a graveyard or a hearse drives by, you should tuck your thumbs in to protect your parents. Hiding your thumb prevents them from evil spirits entering their body. This comes from the fact that the thumb translates to “parent-finger”.

“Break plates on New Years Eve” (Denmark):

Keep all your chipped and broken dishes (or just break some purposely) and put them on your buddies porch or outside their front door and it’ll bring good luck to them. It’s a sign of affection and friendship if your house is targeted (although it is custom that the homeowner is the one to clean it up).

“Don’t light a cigarette with a candle” (Germany/Northern Europe):

Not only is it poor etiquette, but lighting a cigarette with a candle will cause bad luck and the death of a sailor. There are two origins of this superstition. One theory comes from the fact that sailors used to sell matches for money during the winter, so lighting a cigarette without a match could leave them to starvation. Another theory is that the wives of sailors would leave a candle on their window to “guide” them home. Disrupting that candle would make the sailor lose their way.