Q.
Spoons feature prominently in the button-tight world of etiquette. Are our silver-plated friends similarly burdened with deeply rooted superstitious beliefs?

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A.

Spoons definitely play a strong role in old-school manners. In Emily Post’s 1922 Etiquette, for instance, we see pages devoted to teaching mischievous young boys how to use spoons with grace.

‘In using the spoon, he holds it in his right hand like the fork. In eating cereal or dessert, he may be allowed to dip the bowl of the spoon toward him and eat from the end, but in eating soup he must dip his spoon away from him—turning the outer rim of the bowl down as he does so.’

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Not surprisingly, spoons are centred in a number of Old School Superstitions.

i. Did two spoons find their way into one teacup? Get ready for the marriage of someone close to you.

ii. Drop a teaspoon, and expect a visit from a child.

iii. Drop said spoon bowl up, and you’re in for some good luck.

iv. But, if that spoon slides out of your hand bowl down? Well, old time superstitions say you better buckle up for some bad news. Want to counteract your spoon-drop ill-fortune? Get up and flee the dining room immediately.

v. And what if you level up and drop a tablespoon? Expect a female visitor at your door.

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vi. Mapping types carry the spoon superstition one step farther, saying that the direction in which the handle of your dropped spoon points is the direction from which this unexpected visitor will arrive.

vii. One less than cheery superstition says that if you drop your spoon into a jar of pickles, you will be a sour senior citizen.

viii. If you accidentally knock over the spoon container whilst setting the table, you’re said to be in for an argument with someone (hopefully over something more interesting than the spilled spoons).

ix. Don’t turn a silver spoon around in your mouth. Well, not if you want to avoid bad luck.

x. Finally, you might have seen students online talking about their superstitious efforts to get a snow day. Their recipe? First, flush one ice cube down the toilet. Then, put your pajamas on inside out, and sleep with a spoon hidden in your pillow case. For an extra bit of luck: put a white crayon in the freezer.

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Header Photo: Pixabay
Second Photo: Hue 12