Culture & Traditions

Lots of us like to put a little faith in lucky charms. But while they're often taken for granted, many lucky charms are downright strange when you think about they really are.

By Bambi Turner

Did the controversial practice of cult deprogramming do more harm than good? Find out.

By Oisin Curran

You may call your cousin a Luddite because he still plays CDs, but the word didn't originally mean someone who's a technophobe. What other historical words do people use incorrectly?

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Every year a bunch of guys in top hats pull a wriggling rodent out of a hole and allow him to predict the weather. And we all take this seriously. Is Phil the groundhog really accurate or is he secretly giggling at us?

By Kate Kershner

Driving through Vermont's scenic countryside, you might see an anomaly in the architecture odd enough to make you do a double take. What's the story behind those strangely angled windows?

By Debra Ronca

Lucky horseshoes are meant to bring good fortune. But which way are you supposed to hang it, and why are there seven holes in a horseshoe? Read on to find out.

By Debra Ronca & Austin Henderson

It's an iconic holiday ritual: two kids fighting over a wishbone. Each struggles to crack the bone and get the bigger piece, ensuring good luck. What's behind this rather odd piece of folklore?

By Debra Ronca & Yara Simón

The "Bloody Mary" ritual, long popular on the sleepover circuit, supposedly causes a ghastly apparition to materialize in a darkened room. Where did this legend come from? Was there a real Bloody Mary?

By Debra Ronca

Knocking on wood, crossing your fingers, fear of black cats ... are some superstitions common around the world, or are they specific to certain cultures?

By Debra Ronca

One piece of American folklore usually passed around as fact is that drowned women always float face-up. Is this true? It might depend on who you ask.

By Debra Ronca

Does your stomach flutter a bit when you cross paths with a black cat? Perhaps no other animal is so surrounded by myth and superstition than the common housecat.

By Debra Ronca

There are so many wives' tales about how to predict your baby's gender. Here's a closer look at one of the more popular: the ring test.

By Debra Ronca

Sailors are known for superstitions about good and bad luck while sailing, including one about the name of the ship itself.

By Debra Ronca

We often see people toss salt over their left shoulders while cooking, but where did this tradition come from?

By Debra Ronca

Opals are unusual and mysterious gems, which may be why there are stories about their supposed luck dating back to ancient times.

By Debra Ronca

Sailors are a superstitious lot, and that extends to words. Find out what not to say on your next voyage.

By Debra Ronca

Baseball players have many superstitions to help them win, and some of them aren't exactly what you'd call hygienic - like spitting on their bats.

By Debra Ronca

Every culture has its own unique superstitions, most of which probably seem a little odd to outsiders. In Korea, for example, there's the fear of death by fan.

By Debra Ronca

You might be tempted to pluck your gray hairs, but you shouldn't -- and not for the reason that you might think.

By Debra Ronca

Leaving fresh fruit out overnight could definitely have some rotten consequences, but turning into a vampire isn't likely.

By Debra Ronca

There are numerous superstitions that we unthinkingly adhere to, such as walking under a ladder. But why is it supposed to be so unlucky?

By Debra Ronca

Ever dialed up or down your accent depending on whom you're speaking with? Or switched from one language to another mid-sentence? Even if you haven't, you've seen it done. Why do people do that - and is it conscious?

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Ever met a person who wouldn't hand over an item until the receiver said "the magic word"? As it turns out, that person may be rude too.

By Kate Kershner

There are plenty more troublesome public behaviors to discourage, but knitting can be a distraction all the same.

By Kate Kershner

Make a wish as you blow out your birthday candles, and it might just come true. Learn 10 more wacky birthday superstitions at HowStuffWorks.

By Bambi Turner