Culture & Traditions

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

What's your lucky number? Would it jinx you if you told us? It's a funny thing, but whether for cultural, regional or religious reasons, we humans tend to put a lot of hope - and a little fear - into numbers.

By Bambi Turner & Desiree Bowie

Star Wars Celebration is a fan convention unlike any other, because it's all Star Wars, all the time. Grab your lightsaber and come along for the ride as we look at the HowStuffWorks team's time in Anaheim, California for the 2015 show.

One boyfriend or a bunch of boyfriends? Conventional wisdom asserts that women prefer one mate at a time, but mammals in general are rarely monogamous. Can an evolutionary perspective help clarify some things?

By Colleen Cancio

Open-mouth kissing appears in the Kama Sutra circa the third century, so it's certainly nothing new. But who was the first to suggest touching tongues to express amour?

By Colleen Cancio

Modern media embrace the flying machines. But is that good for our society?

By Chris Opfer

While that witches brew seemingly comprised of bizarre animal body parts sounds scary and gross, odds are you've actually put "eye of newt" on a hot dog at some point. Learn why witches used frightening terms for common herbs, flowers, and plants.

By Debra Ronca