Finnish Superstitions: The Unmarried Folk

​I´v been doing research on old Finnish spells and superstitions recently. My ancestors were very keen on looking for signs and reading them. This list includes superstitions about those who most likely will-not tie-the-knot so to speak. I don´t like sexist words like old maid or spinster so I have replaced them with single. Most of these superstitions are very silly and ridicilous in today´s standards so don´t take them too seriously.

If woman comb´s their hair in the evenings they never get married. ​

When the guy steps on the girl´s handkerchief and the girl continues using it, she remains single. 

​If a cat wants to sit in your lap you´ll never marry.

If cat only comes to you, you´ll never marry.

If young men and women are very found of cats, they´ll never marry. 

If a bull is afraid of a girl, girl never marries.

If girl burns their bakings they never get married.

If the baker forgets the peel into the oven, ladies of the house never get married.

Weaver should not rest on Saturday, otherwise they remain single. 

You should not sing in the sauna or you shall remain single. 

Sauna has to be kept clean, otherwise ladies of the house will never marry.

If you pour cream first into the coffee and sugar after, you remain single. 

If a single person drinks coffee in the corner of the table, they´ll never marry.

Burn an old broom stick and you´ll get married some day.

When you carry wood inside, throw one log over your shoulder and you won´t remain single.

If you want your single-friends to get married give them left-over pies.

When rowan trees are blooming it´s a sign of marriages.

When it rains and it´s sunny at the same time, singles are getting married.

If you collect all kinds of pretty things as a young girl (or a boy) you won´t get married.

 

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yeah right...

Wear safety pins in your clothes and you´ll never marry. 

When junipers pollunate, that is when singles get married.

If a young man comes for a visit and they sit in the rocking chair, they remain unmarried. 

​If man let´s a woman to help them to put their coat on, they´ll never marry.

If you have a break while swiping the floor and you rest for a moment, you won´t never get married. 

If you take crackers first in the coffee table, you´ll remain single. 

If your cat´s basket is cleaner than your house, you´ll remain single. 

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I hope you have great time guys where-ever you are and let me know if you want to hear more Finnish spells and crazy superstitions. 

Source: Marjut Hjelt, Pieni Taikakirja